Regarding Overgrown Dogs, Vegetarian Vampires, and Unexpected Babies
by RedPhoenix13
Summary: Wherein we learn of Hermione's adventures with a particular Potions Master as they deal with cousins who consort with (read: marry) vampires and have half-vampire babies; natives who turn into overgrown dogs (read: wolf shape-shifters); and evil wizards causing trouble (read: Lucius Malfoy). And just whose unexpected pregnancy manages to top that of Bella Swan?
1. Finding Her

This is something else I've been working on at roughly the same time as the Elements. Not to worry, The Elements has not been pushed to the back burner, I'm just having issue's with writer's block - of course, mine is more like a city wall I can't find my way around, but whatever. I'm still working on it, just trust me.

Disclaimer: The only characters and/or concepts in this chapter that are mine are the rainforest tribe members. Everything else is the property of either JK Rowling or Stephenie Meyer.

Update, March 5: Some people have expressed hopes that this is not SSHG. I'm sorry to disappoint, but it _is._ I have too much of the rest of the story written to change it now. That being said, I also like the idea of Hermione with one of the wolves, especially Sam, so most likely my next HP/Twilight story will involve something like that. I hope this hasn't cost me any readers, and for those of you who stick it out and keep reading, thanks a ton.

RP13

* * *

**Regarding Overgrown Dogs, Vegetarian Vampires, and Unexpected Babies**

_Chapter One_

_~Finding Her~_

Severus had been searching for the insufferable little know-it-all for weeks, so when he finally found her in a rainforest village in northern Argentina, he was absolutely furious. His mood only blackened further when he took in the state in which he'd found her. She was dressed similarly to other women, in a peach colored cotton top and a brown cotton skirt that reached her knees, her dirty feet bare and her curls pulled back into a messy pony tail, and was sitting in the midst of a group of chattering native women and girls who all appeared to be making something out of what appeared to be vast numbers of vines. She appeared to be clumsily attempting to mimic whatever it was they were making, but her progress was greatly hindered as she kept dropping the object in order to gesticulate, clearly telling a story.

He was so angry that he promptly disregarded all thought of how it would look to the tribeswomen for him to swoop in dressed in his customary black robes – which were absolutely _sweltering_ in this confounded heat and humidity, though she with her tanned skin and sun-kissed hair looked to be quite at home. He strode from the trees, though not before ensuring he still had his protective shields up. He hadn't forgotten where he was, after all, and while he was fairly well aware of his surroundings, there was always a chance that there might be a hidden native somewhere in the vegetation about him who had eluded his sharp senses.

Hermione froze, her animated tale halting mid-word, as she spotted the dark figure swooping down upon the small group of women and girls from the trees. The basket she was attempting to make fell from suddenly nerveless fingers as she gasped in horror. Without another thought, without even halting long enough to try to identify whichever Death Eater it was, she leapt to her feet, assuming her jaguar form in the same smooth motion, and was gone, bounding away into the trees only split seconds before the other women and girls also comprehended the danger.

The other women, their own senses finely tuned – theirs adapted from countless generations living in the forest rather than from necessity brought on by being a primary target in a massive war – glanced up and didn't stop to assess the danger once they, too, spotted the dark, billowing figure who so resembled a demon. Fractions of a second after the golden woman who had been living with them for the past several months had shifted and disappeared, they too assumed one animal form or another and vanished.

Severus had been stunned to see Hermione shift and disappear so quickly, and was even more so when the other women all did the same, but he'd retained enough presence of mind – and the necessary quick reflexes – to set a Tracking Charm on her even as she shifted. In retrospect, however, he realized he probably shouldn't have approached in the manner that he had. He realized the native women were reacting as they naturally would to any sign of danger, and that time had not diminished the effects the war had had on Hermione. All that time on the run with Potter and Weasley would have made her senses extremely keen and her reflexes extremely quick. And her time on the run coupled with her other experiences, such as her torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and all the fighting she'd done in the Final Battle, had probably also made her paranoid.

With these thoughts, he removed his robes, stripping down to his black trousers and white shirt, rolled up his sleeves, stowed his wand away in his pocket, and held his hands up. The Tracking Charm he'd placed on her told him she hadn't gone far but was circling the clearing, hidden in the trees, waiting and watching to see who he was and what he would do.

"I know you're there, Miss Granger," he called. His voice was calm and measured, neither too hasty nor too casual. He wanted to show her he had nothing to hide and meant no harm. "It is only I, Severus Snape. During the Final Battle you, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley found me after Nagini attacked me and I gave Potter a vial filled with memories that he might view in Dumbledore's Pensieve. When Potter and Weasley left, you stayed behind to help me, and in a fit of pain-induced delirium I mumbled some nonsense along the lines of you smelling like roses. In the meantime you were able to slow both the snake venom and the blood flow enough to keep me alive until I could be transported to St. Mungo's, thereby saving my life. As much as it pains me to admit, I am in your debt. Now please come out so that I may speak to you face to face. It is a matter regarding your uncle, I believe, in a town called Forks in the United States." Under his breath he mumbled, "Though why anyone would want to name a town after some bloody silverware is beyond me."

There was a long pause in which he waited, his expressionless face completely concealing his anxiety and his irritation. Finally, the jaguar emerged warily from the trees and approached him. But it stopped just out of the line of trees and crouched, tail twitching and eyes fixed on him, as if waiting for him to make one wrong move.

When Severus saw Hermione's continued wariness, he slowly took out his wand, his free hand held up, palm facing outward to show her he was otherwise unarmed, and told her, "I hereby swear upon my wand that I am Severus Snape and intend neither you nor your companions any harm." As he swore the oath, a silver glow engulfed his wand before spreading to engulf his hand, then his arm, and eventually the entire left side of his upper torso before fading in the same order.

That was good enough for Hermione. She'd read enough about wand oaths that she knew what the magic looked like when done properly. She straightened and loped over to him, and when she reached him, she returned to her human form, still dressed as a native. Severus had to deliberately keep himself from shifting in sudden discomfort when he realized how much more revealing her present outfit was than traditional witches' robes, her school uniform, or even the Muggle clothes he knew she favored when she wasn't in classes.

It was immediately clear to him how she'd matured. Once, as a student, her body had been slightly soft, a little rounded in some places. She'd never been by any means overweight, but she didn't have the natural athletic build of Harry, Ron, or Ginny. Then the hard year on the run had cost her enough weight that she'd looked rather malnourished the last time he'd seen her, the night of the Final Battle, when she'd saved his life. But apparently she'd been residing here in this village among these peoples long enough for her to have gained both weight and muscle. She'd filled back out – rather magnificently in some areas, the man he was couldn't help noticing – but she'd also toned up. Now her belly had flattened and firmed up a bit, and her once slightly soft thighs and biceps had become sleek and strong. He could only imagine what her posterior looked like, and had to actually force his eyes away from her breasts.

Where the hell had the insufferable little know-it-all who'd been the bane of his existence at Hogwarts gone? Who was this siren who held herself with such self-assurance under the scrutiny of the once-dreaded Potions Master, who arched an imperious eyebrow at him, one corner of her lush mouth quirked up in a smirk as she noticed where his eyes had lingered?

Realizing he'd been caught in his appraisal of her form, he cleared his throat, blushing faintly. But before she could say anything, he spoke.

"Miss. Granger. I have been searching for you for weeks. Do you mean to tell me that you have been hiding out here all these months in a village of heathens in the midst of the bloody _rainforest_ while the whole of the British Wizarding World – and half the Muggle one as well – has been looking for you?" he demanded, using abruptness to save face.

As he observed her reaction, he realized the effects of the war were perhaps more visible in Miss Granger than in anyone else. Once that tone of voice would have, if not brought tears to her eyes, then at least cowed her sufficiently so that she responded quietly, her head bowed and eyes averted in shame. Now, however, neither her gaze nor her tone faltered as she answered him, her eyes meeting his.

"I felt lost, Professor," she replied. Her tone was neither defensive nor hostile, nor was it suffused with pain. It was matter-of-fact. "I needed time to recover from the torture Bellatrix Lestrange put me through, and I had to do it alone. And the people here in this village have helped me do that more completely, I think, than any of the professional healers from St. Mungo's could."

Severus frowned at her. "Miss Granger, surely you know there are many people who love you, who understand what happened to you. What in Merlin's name made you think you had to recover alone?"

Her brow furrowed slightly. "I didn't feel I could turn to anyone else," she answered slowly. "My parents have no memory of me, and the magic is irreversible. Anyone else who might have understood was already dead, like Sirius, or vanished, like Harry and Ginny did when they eloped, or had enough of their own healing to do, like the Weasleys who lost Percy."

He scowled. He wanted to tell her she could have come and spoken to him, but he didn't think she would have, even after learning where his true loyalties lay. For one thing, he'd never given the impression of being the least bit inclined to have a heart-to-heart with anyone, and had done his utmost to convince people he hated all students who weren't Slytherins, and Potter and his two friends above all others. For another thing, she probably would have figured he had enough of his own healing to do after Nagini's bite without worrying about her as well.

As if she'd read his mind, she continued. "I didn't think I should turn to you, either," she said softly, "because you had enough of your own healing to do without worrying about mine. You had done more than enough for Harry, Ron, and me without me adding to your concerns."

"But why did you not tell anyone? Your friends, including Potter and Miss Weasley, who returned two weeks after they left, have been worrying frantically over your disappearance. There are teams of Aurors that have been investigating your disappearance, and half the Order of the Phoenix is searching for you as well. There has been talk of giving up the search and presuming you dead."

"I didn't tell anyone because they would have come after me, as evidenced by your presence here and now. Being found and carted back to the Wizarding World, which would have been inevitable, would not have enabled me to heal and recover properly. Molly caught me as I was packing my things, so I explained everything to her and made her take a wand oath not to reveal anything of my whereabouts, even under the influence of Veritaserum or Legilimency. Not that she would have been able to reveal anything, since I never told her where I intended to go.

"Remus Lupin is the only person who knows where I am, and only because a month after I left he stumbled upon some notes of mine regarding Animagi and a tribe of Native South Americans who knew how to access the form of any animal in existence. He had an inkling I might have gone there, but no more than a hunch. So without telling anyone, he came and found me and confronted me. I told him the same thing I told you, and he made me promise not to go anywhere else. In turn I made him swear on his wand not to tell anyone. He's been coming once a month to check on me, but he understands that I need time and space. Everyone else in the Wizarding World expected me to continue helping locate all the Death Eaters who got away and went into hiding, especially since Harry disappeared. As if I haven't done enough already by helping Harry defeat Voldemort." Her voice was quiet by the time she finished speaking, sounding tired and immensely careworn, as if she could no longer summon the energy required to feel as angry at this injustice as she once had.

Severus studied her as she fell silent, pondering what she'd said. She had a fair point, he admitted to himself. She had given everything she had to help fight the war. She had sacrificed her health, as evidenced by the emaciated appearance of her body the last time he'd seen her. She'd forgone the completion of her education, having gone on the run instead of returning to Hogwarts for her seventh and final year and her NEWTs. She had given up romance as well, as he knew from having overheard a conversation between Potter and the youngest two Weasleys after Potter's return from eloping with Miss Weasley. Apparently the Weasley boy and Miss Granger had shared a heated kiss at the Final Battle but she had told the boy that they wouldn't work; it seemed the gist of her words had been that she felt the war had damaged her and she didn't want to drag him down with her. And to top it all off, she'd also sacrificed her family, as her parents were now living in Australia, happily ignorant of magic, the Wizarding World, Harry Potter, and their own daughter.

Finally he recalled the other reason he'd been searching for her. "Very well, Miss Granger, I can understand your reasoning. And if it were just a matter of me having searched for you simply to cart you back to the British Wizarding World, I would leave you be. But the fact of the matter is that there remains a problem regarding your uncle in the United States."

"Uncle Charlie?" she asked, surprised. To her shame, due to the escalation of the war over the last couple of years, it had been a while since she'd thought about her relatives in the United States. How long had it been since she'd seen them?

"Indeed," he replied. "It seems your uncle Charlie has been attempting to contact your parents about his daughter, your cousin, what was her name? Elizabeth? Isabel?"

"Isabella," she supplied absently.

"That was it. It seems she is gravely ill. I was at your Muggle home in England a week ago, searching to see if I could find any information regarding your possible whereabouts, and the phone rang. When I didn't answer it, the…responding device, or whatever it's called…did, and your uncle's message played. He said he wasn't certain the invitations for his daughter's wedding ever reached your family, as he never received a response, but it seems now she is deathly ill and her husband's family is keeping any visitors, including him, away from her. I relayed the message to Minerva, and she asked me to continue searching for you, thinking you would wish to know. There is a possibility that you may be able to help her, though she is a Muggle and apparently unaware of the Wizarding World or the fact that you are a witch."

Eyes wide, she nodded emphatically. "Of course I would like to try and help her!" she exclaimed. Then, she seemed to deflate as her eyes filled with sadness and shame. "She and Uncle Charlie are all the family I have left, and over the last couple of years I never even thought about them! I have to see them again, I can't lose any one else!"

Then she turned pleading eyes to him. "Please, will you come with me? You might be able to help, too, especially if I can't. Please, I don't want to do this alone."

He inclined his head. "Very well. I will accompany you. It would be best to leave as soon as possible, then. If, after we resolve the matter with your uncle and cousin, you wish to come back here, I will not stop you, but only if you agree to allow me to inform everyone else of your whereabouts."

She shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I'll come back to England with you after we help Bella and Uncle Charlie. I think I've been gone long enough, and I've finally managed to make my peace with everything that's happened. As for leaving as soon as possible, I just want to say goodbye properly to the tribe. The elders will also want reassurances that you're not a threat, and I know they'll want to give us their blessing."

Seeing him raise an eyebrow and open his mouth to speak, she cut him off and said, "It's not the same thing as giving us permission to leave. Since I am not a member of this tribe in the same way as those who were born into it but rather an honorary member, having earned a place here through helping them as they've helped me, I don't need their permission to leave. But giving us their blessing is a way of wishing us good fortune on our journey and reminding me that should I ever wish to come back, I will always be welcome."

That night Severus sat beside Hermione before the bonfire in the center of the village. Members of the tribe sat on either side of them, forming a large circle around the bonfire. On Hermione's other side sat a group of old men, the tribal elders. One of the elders addressed the tribe as a whole, and Hermione quietly translated for him.

The tribal elder wrapped up his speech, and Severus started internally pondering the turn of events that had brought him here, sitting beside the Gryffindor Princess before a bonfire in the middle of a rainforest amidst a tribe of natives, when suddenly he realized drums had begun to sound, followed shortly by the sounds of other instruments. And in response to the cacophony of rattling, shaking, and pounding, as well as the breathy whistling of reed pipes, all the women got to their feet and stood in a tight ring around the bonfire. He blinked, momentarily thrown off as he realized that Hermione had got to her feet as well to join them.

He watched, his attention captured, as the women began to move as one in a dance that seemed older than time. It was a dance that, coupled with the rhythm of the drums and pipes, found its way straight to his blood. Entranced, he hardly even noticed that his eyes remained glued to the spinning, whirling, dipping, and stomping figure of a particular curly-haired witch, looking so out of place amongst so many with straight black hair yet dancing as if she'd grown up among them.

Finally, the circle, which had gradually been spinning faster and faster around the bonfire, came to an abrupt halt, with Hermione throwing herself to her hands and knees, kneeling before the still-seated tribal elders with her chin ducked just a little in deference to them but her eyes meeting theirs, seeming to thank, admire, and beseech all at once.

The tribal elder she knelt directly in front of, who looked to be the oldest and most official-looking and who seemed to be wearing the most elaborate form of the tribe's traditional clothing, gazed deeply into her unblinking eyes for what seemed like both an eternity and only a heartbeat. But then he smiled.

The tribal elder smiled at her, and touched his hand to her forehead as he spoke. Severus was intrigued by Hermione's reaction to the elder's words. She blinked and her eyebrows furrowed, confused and slightly distressed as she spoke in response. Her expression was clearly an inquiring one, and was just as clearly pleading with him to help her understand. But the elder just smiled toothlessly at her and patted her cheek as he replied, likely telling her something along the lines of understanding when the time came.

Severus knew exactly when Hermione realized she wouldn't be getting any clearer understanding from the elder; a forced smile came to her face, confusion and pain still in her eyes but respect and trust shining through just the same. She bowed her head, trying not to let him see her doubt, and then stood to rejoin Severus.

That seemed to be the end of the ceremonial part of the bonfire, as some of the women returned to their seats while others, mostly consisting of younger women and older girls, remained to be joined by men and boys of related ages. This time the dancing about the bonfire seemed to be purely for fun, and while it seemed to still be fairly synchronized, it was far less formal-looking.

"I don't suppose you'd want to join me for a dance, Professor?" Hermione asked as she came back to him.

"Severus," he corrected, surprising her. "And you suppose correctly, Miss Granger. I will be content to watch."

She nodded, not really having expected anything else. "All right then. I'll be back in a bit. And if I'm to call you Severus, then please call me Hermione," she replied as she turned back to rejoin her friends about the fire.

Severus watched as the small group of young women that she joined pulled her into the dance, all of them laughing. As he once more found himself caught in the spell woven by the movements of the young witch's nubile body – not even realizing how his own body responded – he found himself marveling at how much a part of the land she seemed. She seemed just as much a part of it as her black-haired, olive-skinned friends even with her much fairer golden skin and masses of wild chestnut curls that caught the firelight and turned into a flaming halo. In that moment, it seemed she represented a riot of light and life and warmth and growing things – everything in contrast to his darkness and stillness and calm and coldness. He hated himself for wanting her to turn that radiance and goodness on him, and then reminded himself that the war was over and he had been absolved and forgiven. There was no need to hate himself any longer.

Still, watching Miss Granger…Hermione…now, he found himself thinking that being near her could only do him good. So he found that he didn't care to examine the inexplicable relief he felt at having found her too closely.

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So, what do we think so far?

Note: the rainforest tribe is completely mine. While I know that there are in fact native rainforest tribes that originated in Northern Argentina, this one is not based on any of them. This one is just a tribe that I made up that happens to live in the rainforests in Northern Argentina. If you've noticed there is no dialogue written for the natives, that's for two reasons: one, making up a language is far too much trouble for characters that only appear in this one chapter, and two, if I used words from real languages of real native Argentine tribes, people would think I am in fact basing this tribe on one of them, when I'm not.

RP13


	2. To Forks

There, now. This should make people happy.

Just a reminder - or three - this is in fact HG/SS. I know some people have expressed the wish that it be otherwise, so I'm sorry to disappoint. But I thought it was kind of obvious by the end of the first chapter that it would be. Also, this story is rated M, and for a damn good reason, though it will be a while before we get there. Also, I'm deliberately screwing with the timelines of these two series; from my calculations, HP7 takes place roughly ten or eleven years before Twilight. Obviously here they take place at the same time. My story, people.

That being said, yes, my story, but not my characters. Nobody belongs to me except the rainforest tribe from Ch. 1. All the other people and places belong to either Ms. Rowling or Ms. Meyer.

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_Chapter Two_

_~To Forks~_

The next morning found them back in the same clearing he'd first seen her yesterday. No longer in the tribal clothing from the bonfire last night, she was back in something similar to what she'd worn when he first saw her with the women. Now wore a dove-gray tank top over a navy blue cotton skirt that fell just below her knees, but this time her feet were no longer bare. Now she wore what looked like a pair of sturdy leather sandals. He was trying not to look too closely at her in that tank top, but it didn't help that the way she held her gift from the women of the tribe, a brightly colored, striped blanket, folded close to her body pushed her breasts together a bit.

"Ready?" she asked, looking up at him. "If we Side-Along, I can Apparate us to a spot in the woods I remember near my uncle's house, out of sight of him or any Muggles. Then we can circle back around to the road in front of his house and knock on the door."

He raised his eyebrows. "And what do you intend to tell him when he sees no car and asks how we got there?"

She met his gaze. "The truth," she replied simply.

He frowned and opened his mouth, but she cut him off. "No, listen. He and Bella are the only family I have left, and I can't stand the thought of alienating them with lies any more about who I am. And if I'm going to be able to save her from whatever illness she has using magic, I'm not going to Obliviate her afterwards. I'm not just going to walk back into their lives after at least two years of not seeing them, fix their problems, remove their memories of what I did, and walk right back out. I did that to my parents and it damn near killed me, all right?" She took a deep breath, calming herself down.

He considered her words, but finally had to agree, knowing she had a point. Her uncle and cousin were all that remained of her ties to the world she'd been born into, the world she'd begun to leave behind when she'd gotten her Hogwarts letter. It was clear she did not want to leave that world behind completely, so why should she have to?

He nodded. "Very well, then. I see your point, and I will not try to stop you from revealing yourself to him, if you will allow me to ward his house at the time so that no one can overhear."

She nodded in return. "Okay, I can do that. Well then, shall we go?"

In response, he offered her his arm, which she took with a small half-smile, perhaps in amusement at the display of such gentlemanly manners in the middle of a rainforest. She looked back in the direction of the village, her small half-smile turning into a full one that seemed both sad and happy at the same time. It was a smile full of memory, similar to one he'd seen when she was in the company of her two Gryffindor friends listening to them chatter. He found himself caught in the beauty of her smile, and almost missed her turning back to look at him and say, "All right, let's go."

He took her arm securely in his, and then she was spinning them away, the forest around them disappearing with a nearly silent pop.

When they reappeared, he was almost convinced they'd never left; they were back in a forest, just as green and just as wet. He was momentarily disoriented, not from the Apparition but from having expected more of a difference. But then, as he looked around, he realized there was a difference after all.

This forest was not quite as dense or as noisy, and the air here, though still humid, was not quite as heavy. He could breathe better here. And it wasn't nearly so bloody hot here.

"Come on, this way," Hermione said, releasing his arm but grasping his hand. Though he allowed her to pull him along, he felt everything in him seem to freeze at the fact that someone was willingly holding his hand for what seemed like the first time in more than twenty years. Of course, he knew that was nonsense, people had shaken his hand many times in the past, but it seemed like this was the first time in so long that someone was holding his hand without letting go after a moment.

He followed her, and within a few moments they had emerged onto a paved road winding through the forest. It seemed that on the other side of the paved road, the trees seemed to thin a little, and a short distance to the right another road branched off, perpendicular to this one, and he supposed from the slight thinning of the trees in that direction that it led to a town.

Just a short ways past the perpendicular road sat a two-story house that looked as if it had been built in the early part of the twentieth century. In the driveway sat a police cruiser.

"That's it, Uncle Charlie's house," Hermione said, tugging him along.

They walked along the road, turning into first the driveway and then the walk branching off it that led to the front door.

Instead of knocking straight away, however, Hermione simply stared at the knocker on the door, a small furrow between her brows. She seemed to shake it off however, and took a deep breath before knocking with the hand that wasn't holding onto Severus's with a death grip.

In fact, she was holding on so tight, he had to speak up. "Easy, witch," he told her soothingly. "Calm. There's no need to crush my fingers. I rather need them, you know."

She blushed and eased her grip, though she didn't let him go. "Sorry," she muttered as the door opened.

The mustached man before them frowned and blinked as if trying to clear his vision. Apparently having made certain he wasn't seeing things, he asked, somewhat incredulous, "Hermione?"

"Hello, Uncle Charlie," she said, her voice quavering a little. "I know this is rather sudden, but please, may we come in?"

The man, still surprised, nodded and stepped aside for them to enter the house. As they entered, Severus surreptitiously took out his wand and silently began casting privacy wards to settle about the perimeters of the house.

But it seemed Charlie was in fact related to Hermione, because he had the same keen eye as his niece. "What's that you got there?" he asked Severus sharply, eyeing his hand.

For all his years as a spy, for the first time in his life, Severus could not come up with a single convincing lie.

Fortunately, Hermione saved him. "Please, Uncle Charlie, we'll explain everything. First, may we have something to drink? We're both rather parched," she requested.

He blinked again, then shook himself and said, "Yeah, of course. Go ahead, help yourself, Mia." But before she could turn to go to the kitchen, he seemed to remember something, and swept her into a hug. "God, I didn't even realize how much I missed you, Mia. My baby sister's baby girl." He released her, and she went into the kitchen, reappearing moments later carrying three glasses of water balanced in her small hands. Severus took one from her hands, while Charlie took a second and she kept the third. They all sat in the living room, Severus and Hermione sitting beside each other while Charlie sat in his armchair.

"First, I want to tell you that I'm so sorry you haven't heard from any of us, me or my parents, in so long. I hope you forgive me, especially after you hear everything I'm going to tell you. That being said, I have a lot to tell you, and it won't be easy, either for me to tell or for you to hear. Most of it's going to sound crazy and unbelievable, so all I ask is that you listen. For now, though, let me introduce you to Severus Snape. He was one of my teachers at school." She indicated Severus sitting beside her, and the two men reached across to each other and shook hands.

"Pleasure, Chief Swan," Severus said briefly. He considered the man before him and reflected that it seemed that no matter whether they were Aurors or Muggle policemen, law enforcement officers always had a certain hardness to them. He wondered what kinds of things Police Chief Swan had seen to give him that hardness here in this tiny, quiet town.

"Good to meet you," Charlie greeted, his brown eyes assessing. He was pleased to note the dark man's firm handshake, as well as the fact that he had the rough palms of a man who worked with his hands. He wasn't certain, however, what to make of the shadows he could see in the man's eyes. Police Chief Swan knew a troubled soul when he saw one, and Severus Snape seemed world-weary.

He also was uncertain of what to make of the way the man interacted with his niece. Hermione had said the man had been her teacher at school, but the way the man seemed to gravitate toward her reminded Charlie a little uncomfortably of the way his daughter's boyfr – er, husband – had once done with Bella. He wasn't completely sure, though, that this man was really aware of how he was behaving.

He turned his attention back to his niece and felt a pang in his chest when he met the eyes she shared with her cousin, his daughter. "The other thing I want to say before I tell you our story, Uncle, is that I got your message from last week about Bella's illness. And I promise, if you're willing to hear me out and trust me, Severus and I can help Bella, whatever's wrong with her." Her voice was grave, but her face was pleading with him to trust her.

He had a bad feeling he wasn't going to like what she had to say one bit, but she'd never given him cause not to trust her. She and her cousin had more in common than just their eyes; just like Bella, she had a very steadfast, loyal soul, and she never broke a promise. So he decided he'd listen to her and do his damnedest to believe what she had to say.

He nodded, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she seemed to take another deep breath, as if steeling herself, and pulled a thin wooden stick from what was apparently a very deep, hidden pocket in her skirt. Then she looked at the man next to her and said quietly, "Will you draw the drapes?"

He nodded and stood, going over to the windows and pulling the curtains closed before turning back to watch from where he stood.

Hermione pointed her stick-thing at the magazines on the coffee table before them and said something Charlie didn't understand. Two seconds later, Charlie was rubbing his eyes in an effort to clear them, knowing he couldn't possibly have seen what he just did, but when he opened his eyes again, it was to see that the magazines were in fact floating in midair.

Mouth gaping, he looked from the magazines to his niece and back to the magazines, which then floated back to the surface of the table. When they landed with a soft _fwump,_ he looked back at her, shutting his mouth. "What did you just do?" he asked incredulously.

She gave him an understanding half-smile. "Magic," she replied simply. "Uncle Charlie, I'm a witch, and Severus is a wizard. This," she told him, holding up the stick, "is my wand. It channels all the magic I have in me and helps with precision. We speak or think incantations and spells to produce specific results. Severus teaches Potions, which you could consider, to put it in simplified terms, a cross between cooking and chemistry." Her expression sobered. "Another branch of magic is healing. I have some skill in healing, and Severus has still more. And if neither of us can help Bella, we know people who can, who won't have any qualms about helping her even though she's not a witch."

Reassured after a demonstration, he suddenly felt more optimistic about Bella's recovery. "Can you find her? The Cullens won't let me visit or tell me where she is, and I'm losing both my mind and my hope."

Tears sprang to her eyes and she stood, moving over to him and embracing him. "We'll find her," she promised. "I swear, I won't rest until we do."

He hugged her back, his own face wet, either having forgotten that he was crying in front of another man or not caring.

After a moment, he released her, and said, "So what else can you do with this wand of yours? And what about him? Can he do the same things?" He nodded at Severus.

She smiled at him. "Yes, he can. In fact, he can do more. He's a teacher. He's got much more experience with magic than I do. And we can do so many things." Biting her lip, she thought for a moment, then pointed her wand somewhere off to one side and said, "Expecto Patronum," all the while concentrating on the thought of Charlie's joy when his daughter was reunited with him, safe and healthy.

To her immense surprise, her otter had been replaced. Her patronus was now a large spotted cat. She hadn't had a reason to cast this particular spell since before leaving to live in the rainforest, and she smiled to see it. The jaguar had been her first animal form while she learned to shape-shift with the rainforest natives.

"This is a spell that protects against a certain kind of creature called a dementor. They bring frost, and leech all the happiness out of you, leaving only your worst memories. For this spell to work you have to think of a powerful, happy thought. It keeps the dementor's darkness and despair at bay. Each form is different for every witch or wizard," she explained, not taking her eyes from her patronus as it faded.

She finally turned back to her uncle. "Sometimes we can shape-shift as well, turn into animals. Most witches or wizards only know how to access one animal form, but I spent eight months with a tribe in South America that has perfected shape-shifting. They can access any animal form they wish. The jaguar was my first form." So saying, she put her wand down and moved into the center of the room. Suddenly, her form dissolved rapidly, shifting into the form of the jaguar in an instant.

Severus watched the large cat stretch luxuriously, thinking that while the form might not have been what he might have suspected the Gryffindor bookworm's original animal form to be, it still curiously fit her.

He watched as the jaguar padded softly over to the amazed Charlie Swan, who'd sat down in his armchair with a soft thump at this last display of magic. The big cat rested her head in her uncle's lap, and her golden eyes closed in pleasure when Charlie hesitantly raised his hand and began to rub her head behind her ears. After a moment, a soft, rumbling purr began to sound with every breath she exhaled.

Severus found himself thinking about the magic of shape-shifting as he watched them. She'd said she'd learned how to access multiple animal forms during her stay in the rainforest; he wondered if she'd be able to teach him as well. He was already an animagus, though few people knew that; his form was a black hawk. He wondered if it would be easier for someone who already was an animagus to learn how to access other forms.

After a moment, Hermione pulled her head from her uncle's knee and returned to her human form, returning to her seat on the sofa; Severus sat beside her once more. "Does that help to understand us a bit better?" she asked her uncle.

Charlie looked as if he were struggling to come to terms with what he'd just seen. He exhaled sharply after a moment, but then looked back at her and nodded. "It definitely makes it easier to take you seriously when you say you're a witch, that's for sure. But now of course I have a ton of questions. I guess some aren't that important, but one thing I have to know is why it's been almost two years since I last heard from you or your parents?" he asked.

Hermione took a deep breath. She'd known this would come up eventually. All she could do was pray he wouldn't hate her for what she'd done to his sister and brother-in-law, that he'd understand and forgive her. She didn't know what she'd do if he decided he couldn't handle knowing his own niece had done something like that.

"Well, you see, Uncle Charlie…" she began, trying to keep her voice from quivering. "It's an awfully long story. But it amounts to a magical war in which my best friend was the primary target of the enemy, and because I was so close to him, I was also in danger. And by extension, so were my parents. So I did what I thought was best for them and sent them away. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, the hardest spells I've ever cast and the hardest decision I've ever made, but in order to keep them alive, I erased their memories of my friend Harry, the war, the entire Wizarding World…and most importantly, of me. And I gave them new memories, new identities, and a new dream, and I sent them away to live in Australia. They have no idea there was a war, no idea there was ever a boy called Harry Potter, no idea their names are Jean and Richard Granger, and no idea they ever had a daughter who was a witch. I have already tried, and found that I can't reverse the spell. I've erased myself from their lives forever."

He looked stricken at her words, and she fought to keep control over her own emotions and keep from breaking down into a sobbing mess. She managed to keep from going into hysterics, but was unable to hold back her tears.

Hermione watched her uncle, her heart in her throat, as he frowned at his lap for a long moment before looking up and fixing her with a steely gaze. "I think you'd better tell me everything, from the beginning."

She nodded and launched into the story of the two wars against Voldemort, beginning with the Prophecy that caused Voldemort to target her best friend Harry as a baby and the magic that saved Harry's life and defeated Voldemort the first time around when his mother sacrificed herself for her son. The story then jumped to her and Harry's years at Hogwarts as students, and she gave her uncle a brief summary of the events of each year. When it seemed like her uncle was having difficulty understanding what it all had to do with her, Severus spoke up.

"Your niece was not only one of Harry Potter's best friends, which would have been reason enough for the enemy to want to target her, but she was also born to non-magical parents. The attitude of pureblood supremacists in the Wizarding World regarding Muggle-born witches and wizards is very similar to the attitude of the Nazis regarding Jews. The fact that she is Muggle-born alone would have meant that the potential outcome of the war would have affected her directly. But her heritage coupled with her closeness to the boy who was the primary and ultimate target of the most evil Wizard history has ever seen meant that she was perhaps the highest-profile Muggle-born witch in Britain during the war. Therefore, though the events at Hogwarts during that time centered around Potter, she was always affected directly."

Charlie listened intently to everything the witch and wizard were saying. He offered little in the way of questions or other interruptions, looking as if he were having a hard enough time simply coming to terms with everything.

When the story came to the end of Hermione and Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, Charlie's shocked and accusing eyes flew to Severus, who then took over the story, explaining everything from his point of view, including a brief summary of his friendship with Lily and his subsequent guilt over her death. He spoke in greater detail about his years-long mission as a spy for Dumbledore and explained with quiet sorrow the promise he'd made, however reluctantly, to Dumbledore to kill him when the time came.

Hermione re-entered the explanation, and it was here that Charlie knew the story of what she'd done to her parents came into play. She told him of the plans she, Harry, and Ron had made to drop out of school and finish the task Dumbledore had set Harry, which was to find and destroy all the hidden, protected pieces of Voldemort's soul. She told him of all the planning and research she had done over the summer before they had embarked on their journey, and she told him of the precautions she and Ron had taken to protect their families. Her eyes filled with pain as she told him of how she'd removed all her parents' memories of her, how she'd had to dig deep within their minds and alter some of their memories even from before she'd been born in order to cement their new, false identities within their own heads, how she'd convinced them that their names were Wendell and Monica Wilkins and that they had always dreamed of moving to Australia, and how she'd finally sent them away. And she lost the battle with her tears as she explained how as far as she could tell, the magic was irreversible.

Charlie saw his niece's heartbreak and felt his own heart shatter. He stood and pulled her into his arms just as she broke down into sobs. Tears wetting his own face, he sat back down in his armchair, now cradling his niece in his lap as she wept into his chest.

He could feel the grief clawing at the inside of his chest at the knowledge that his little sister was no longer a part of his life, did not remember him, or even know who she really was. But he knew that however painful it was for him to think about, he knew his grief had nothing on Hermione. After all, she'd been the one to make the decision. She'd known ahead of time what the consequences of her actions would be, had thought them through as thoroughly as only she could, and had seen no other options. To her, a longer, happy life with no memory of her was better for them than a life filled with memories of their daughter but cut short by torture and murder at the hands of their daughter's enemies.

It was then, as he cradled in his arms his heartbroken, battle-worn, and soul-weary niece, whose innocence had been ripped away from her by war, that he decided that whatever happened with his own daughter, he would force himself to live through it and be there for his niece. She was lost and broken in a way he'd never seen in another person, not even in Bella when Edward had left her on her eighteenth birthday.

He held his niece for a long time as first her sobs quieted and then her breathing slowed; soon he realized her weeping had worn her out and she was asleep.

He looked up at the wizard still seated on the sofa; the man's black eyes were on Hermione, filled with sadness, and he did not look up until Charlie spoke. "I'll put her in Bella's room and then come back. I still have things I want to know, but she's had enough."

"Yes, she has," the man murmured in agreement, his tone soft but heavy with sorrow.

Charlie stood, gathering his niece into his arms, and made his way upstairs. His niece appeared to be in a state of exhaustion that was bone-deep, for she didn't stir a bit as he lowered her to the surface of the twin-sized bed in Bella's room and removed her shoes before drawing the quilt that lay over the comforter of Bella's bed over her body. He kissed her forehead and made his way back downstairs.

"Now tell me what else happened to make my niece the way she is now. I have a feeling what she went through with her parents isn't the worst of it," Charlie asked the other man as he returned to his seat.

Severus shook his head. "No, it wasn't. It was only the beginning of what would be the hardest year in almost anyone's life." He went on to explain everything he knew about Hermione's year on the run with her two friends as they hunted for Horcruxes, living out of a tent and moving from one location to another every couple of days while they thought and researched and waited for clues. He had heard the story already from Potter and Weasley, and then from her yesterday in the village after she'd shown him around and before the bonfire ceremony. He did his best to tell the story in a way that spared the other man as much pain as possible, but it couldn't always be helped, particularly when he reached the explanation of the trio's capture and Hermione's torture at Malfoy Manor at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange.

Severus would have simply stated that Hermione had been tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange and then rescued by the boys and Dobby the house-elf and would have left it at that, but Charlie, his hard eyes glinting with fury, demanded to know what they had done to his niece. And when Severus reluctantly explained what Bellatrix had done, the words she'd carved into Hermione's arms, he thought Charlie would truly go mad. When the other man shot to his feet and began pacing, Severus stood and stopped the shorter man with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Easy, Charlie. It's over. The war is done, and so is Hermione's year of suffering. She has been healing since the end of the war, and while her scars will never disappear and the memories will always be there, she has survived and become stronger for it," Severus told him, trying to calm the other man.

Charlie stopped pacing, but his gaze as he met Severus's was still angry as well as pleading, with a tinge of desperation. "Tell me they're dead and can't hurt her any more. Tell me none of them will ever hurt my baby sister's little girl!"

Oddly enough, it was the grim, slightly cruel smirk Severus gave him in response that reassured Charlie the most. "Most of them are, Charlie. Only one remains alive and on the loose, but I swear to you on behalf of Hermione and the little family she has left, that when we find him, I will leave him alive when I have finished with him, stripped of his magic so that he may not fight, and will hold him so that you may put a bullet in his gut. His death will not be quick, painless, or pretty."

* * *

Sorry about the less-than-happy ending to this chapter. But I wanted to get this update out and it's late and I'm sleepy and I need to go to bed before I start falling asleep at my computer and start typing nonsense in my weird state of half-consciousness where my body is trying to sleep but my mind is still trying to write.

So how was this chapter? Speak to me.


	3. Finding the Coven

Okay, another update. Hope it's good. This story has been written in chunks all out of order; I had part of the first chapter, the second half of this chapter (chapter 3), and most of the next chapter written long before I had any ideas on how to connect chapter 1 and the second half of chapter 3. I'm still not sure where entirely I'm going with the plot - I have a general direction but no specific destination, so most likely I'll be making things up as I go along. My other story, The Elements, is better plotted out, though what I've written so far is probably only about half the entire story if that.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this chapter is mine. HG and SS are JKR's, and Charlie is Ms. Meyer's. All that's mine is the idea for the cabin in the woods. Too bad it's not a real place. It's just the kind of place I could see spending an indefinite amount of time on a vacation away from the world.

* * *

_Chapter Three_

_~Finding the Coven~_

Hermione awoke to a vaguely familiar room. It took her a couple moments of looking around to figure out where she was, but she soon realized that she was in her cousin's room. She remembered the visits she and her parents would make here in years past; she stayed with Bella in her room while her parents stayed in the guest room next door.

She supposed she must have cried herself to sleep as Uncle Charlie held her and most likely he'd brought her up here to let her rest. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and rose to her feet, pausing to make sure vertigo didn't bring her right back down, and she quickly made the bed back up – force of habit from living first in a dorm with other girls and then in a tent with two boys – before heading back out of the room.

She came downstairs, stepping into the kitchen, to find that Severus and Uncle Charlie were sitting at the kitchen table, both with mugs of coffee in their hands as Severus explained some of the lighter aspects of life in the Wizarding World. She made a face when she realized he was explaining to a laughing Uncle Charlie her mishap in second year with the Polyjuice Potion and her brief stint as half-cat due to her mistaking cat hairs for the hairs of another student.

"I wasn't sure whether to laugh at the sight of her with fur all over her face, pointy ears, and a bushy tail or be impressed with the brilliance of a twelve-year-old being able to brew that potion successfully." At Charlie's raised eyebrow, Severus nodded and said, "Oh, yes, the potion was a success. Had she simply identified the hairs correctly and fixed her mistake before taking the potion, she would have transformed into another student. The sheer brilliance of the whole situation – and the sight of her with fur and a tail – made it easier to not mention the fact that the whole fiasco was how I knew she'd stolen from my ingredient stores in the first place."

As the two men spied her near the stairs, Severus looked at her with one stern eyebrow raised, though Charlie was interested to note the almost imperceptible twitch at the corner of his mouth. "Just don't go thinking that continued brilliance in your brewing will allow you to get away with future theft, Miss Granger," he told her silkily as Charlie stood to pour his niece a mug of coffee.

Apparently she also caught the same tiny sign of amusement, or she wouldn't have answered the way she did. "Yes, Professor Snape, _sir,_" she snarked, rolling her eyes as she accepted the mug from her uncle.

"I don't know what plans the two of you have for today, but if you want I can take you and show you around town. It's my day off," Charlie explained at Hermione's inquiring look.

"Well, that sounds nice. Perhaps after that you can tell us everything you know about what's going on with Bella, and Severus and I can start looking for her," Hermione suggested.

"I will have to meet briefly with Minerva at some point today to inform her of the situation," Severus added. "So you can show us the town and then tell us about your daughter, and then while I meet with Minerva, Hermione can start organizing all our information so that we can set to work finding your daughter."

Charlie, his eyes alight with hope, agreed, and they headed out as soon as they had all finished their coffee.

Charlie first showed them the majority of the town, including the police station where he worked, the school, the town courthouse, the post office, and the local grocery store. Then, after they had seen all that, they stopped at a small restaurant, which Charlie said he would come to for a hot meal at least once a week. It seemed he was still a poor cook.

After lunch, Severus had a thought. "We will need to find a place to stay," he said. He saw Charlie open his mouth and held up a hand to forestall any offers he might make. "It would be best if it were a cabin in the woods, out of sight of the town or the roads. If necessary we can build one by magic. The main reason is that we will need a place to perform our magic freely, so we will need heavy wards to ensure maximum privacy. Some of the protections involve repelling those without magic, and such protections would not make sense at your home. For another thing, we will also be keeping an eye out for Lucius Malfoy, and in order to do so, we – or Hermione at least, as she has access to multiple forms while I only have access to one – will be shape-shifting to perform patrols. It would be an imposition for various animals to be constantly coming and going. We will, of course, be warding your house as well as we can without using the ones that repel those without magic."

Charlie seemed to think about it for a moment, but then he agreed. "Okay, then. There should be a good place in the woods between Forks and La Push. Couple of smaller areas where the trees are far enough apart for a cabin. There's been talk of a group of something, bears, wolves, we're not sure, but if you can protect the place enough to keep people from even noticing the place, you should be able to protect it from bears or wolves or whatever."

Severus and Hermione nodded, and so Charlie took them back toward his home, where they all changed into clothing more suited for hiking in the woods. Then Charlie led them into the forest, where they hiked due west for about two hours. Finally they came to a spot like Charlie had described, where the trees weren't so close and the ground was fairly flat. It was too small to be properly called a clearing, but it was large enough to allow for a small cabin.

Severus nodded at Hermione; she took her wand out as did he, and together they set to work erecting the cabin while Charlie watched with interest. Hermione laid the foundation while Severus waved his wand in a series of complicated movements before stepping back and motioning for Hermione, who was just finishing with the foundation, to do the same.

Charlie exclaimed in surprise as the clearing was suddenly filled with the trunks of small trees and branches from larger ones, all the pieces being the same size. They assembled themselves rapidly, stacking up in formations over the foundation Hermione had laid, and in a matter of minutes, Charlie found himself staring in shock at a fully erected log cabin made from Douglas fir trees, complete with glass windows Hermione had conjured out of nowhere and a raftered roof covered with shingles made of bark.

The logs had been shaped by magic so that there were no gaps anywhere and they fit together almost seamlessly. The door consisted of a single piece of wood and consisted of no ornamental carvings or windows; Charlie was just thinking that the door was rather plain and boring, when out of the corner of his eye he saw Severus nod to Hermione again, and she stepped forward, wand raised.

She began chanting various incantations, her wand constantly moving, and as she cast, Charlie realized that many different symbols were tracing themselves, as if by an invisible hand, on the suddenly not-so-plain door. Though each symbol was different, they were close together and there was a sort of almost-uniformity to them that made the whole thing seem less like writing on a door and more like a sort of vine-like ornamentation.

As Charlie watched the symbols trace themselves into the door, he felt the air shift and bend around him; the sensation caused the hair on his arms and the back of his neck to raise uncomfortably. As the set of symbols in the middle of the door finished tracing themselves, though, the air seemed to stop changing, and though he could still feel the difference, the odd sensations crawling across his skin stopped.

It seemed as though the carvings on the door were the last bit, because when Hermione finished and lowered her wand, she stepped back to stand between Severus and Charlie as they all gazed at the cabin. She and Severus looked at it to inspect their work; Charlie looked at it to confirm with his own eyes what they had just done. It was by far the biggest bit of magic he'd seen from the two of them. If seeing his niece turn into a giant cat earlier hadn't convinced him that witches were real and were absolutely nothing like the creatures little girls liked to emulate on Halloween, then seeing her and her companion erect an entire log cabin in the space of ten minutes just had.

"What are the symbols on the door?" he found himself asking.

Despite the fact that it had been Hermione casting the spells, it was Severus who answered the question. "Runes," he responded. "They contain all sorts of protective magic. Hermione's talents in protective spells are unparalleled, far above the normal skill level for a witch her age. They rival the abilities of even the teachers who helped create the wards and spells protecting the school." He looked sideways at his former student and gave a fond smirk at the blush staining her face at his uncharacteristic praise. "It's true," he told her. "If your abilities were less than they are, you, Potter, and Weasley would have been found and captured much, much earlier than you eventually were."

He turned his attention back to the door. "The set of runes here in the middle of the door are the source for the wards which now encompass the area around the cabin. Surrounding the cabin in an area with a radius of about four hundred meters is a series of overlapping layers of protective enchantments. Each layer is a different enchantment, and the fact that they overlap means that any wizard who tries to break them will have to break two or even three at the same time, which is exceedingly difficult to do.

"The outermost layer will simply alert whoever is inside the cabin that a living being is approaching, whether it is human or not. The very next layer is attached seamlessly to the first, though they don't overlap, and it tells us whether the approaching being is magical or not. The third layer will tell us whether or not it is dangerous. Should the intruder continue to approach, the next several overlapping layers consist of a powerful set of repellant wards, all designed to do different things but all with the objective of keeping dangerous intruders away.

"The wards are designed to recognize and admit only those who have permission from either myself or Hermione to approach the cabin; you will be one of the few people so admitted. Everyone else who approaches will be subtly repelled by the wards so that instead of encountering an invisible barrier, they will simply forget what made them approach the area and will feel an urge to go elsewhere. _If_ a witch or wizard realizes the urge is a product of protective wards, it will still take them a very long time to make any headway breaking them. It will give us enough time to prepare for a potential fight or to get away."

By the end of Severus's little speech, Charlie's mouth hung slightly open, and so Hermione took pity on him. She took over explaining the runes on the door. "The rest of the runes are standard enchantments carved onto the doors of any wizarding household. The ones at the top of the door are designed for the residents of the home. They are sort of like wishes for good fortune, happiness, cleanliness, protection against accidents, bad intentions, or bad luck, that sort of thing. Every wizarding family puts different runes on their doors depending on what they desire in a happy home. For example, mine include runes for knowledge, clear thinking, hard work, and fruitful labor, since both Severus and I place great importance on the ability and desire to learn and work hard for the good things in life. They also include runes for bountiful food, since Harry, Ron, and I know all too well what it's like to go hungry, and runes to protect against nightmares since I've been prone to them. It's not as bad after my time in the rainforest, but my dreams were horrible right after the war. The runes at the bottom of the door are ones that are more designed for the well-being of any guests we welcome. It might seem like a bit much for a temporary home, but I don't know how long it will take until we even find Bella, not to mention how long it will take to help cure her of whatever is wrong with her."

With that, she stepped forward, approaching the door, which Charlie was extremely interested to note had no handle. But he watched in surprise as Hermione simply rested her palm against the door, where a soft green light flared up around her flattened palm before the door swung open before her. Before entering, she paused to explain to Charlie, "That will happen for anyone admitted by the wards. It's sort of the last stand against intruders; only those admitted by the wards can open the door, otherwise, how can they get in with no doorknob? They'd have to break it, and this door won't break easily." With that, she disappeared into the home.

Charlie and Severus followed her inside, and the door swung closed behind them. The cabin was simply designed and sparsely furnished. The inside consisted of five rooms. The room they had entered was a living room, which consisted of only a futon with a small, simple wooden table with a small lamp on each end and a low coffee table before it. The hardwood floor was covered by a large woven rug with stripes of varying widths and shades of brown varying from beige to tan to chocolate as well as muted, earthy shades of green and red. The cushion of the futon was a dark, forest green with two pillows at each end, a larger brown one and a smaller beige one, while the two lampshades were the same rich, earthy red seen in the rug. The wall across from the futon was largely taken up by a large, as-yet-empty wooden bookshelf with a three-foot-by-three-foot window on either side; he wondered how long it would take them to fill the bookshelf.

The living room was divided from the kitchen by only a low half-wall; people in either room would always be able to see those in the other. There was a long desk along the half-wall in the living room with space for two people to work comfortably.

The tiny kitchen was also sparse, containing a small table in one corner for no more than four people and the requisite number of chairs. Along one wall of the room ran a wooden counter top, polished with a hard coating of some sort to protect it and make it non-absorbent, and the bottom of the counter consisted of a series of cabinets. At one end of the counter there was a cook-top stove, raised off the wooden part by a porcelain base. He saw nothing that looked like a pantry, so he assumed the non-perishable food items were in the cabinets. There was, however, something that resembled a fridge on one wall, though he figured it, along with the counter-top stove and the lamps in the living room, ran on magic because after all, there were no power lines in these woods. And built into the other wall, the one across from the half-wall between the kitchen and living room, was a brick oven. Both the lower opening for the firewood and the upper opening for the actual baking were covered by iron doors, while a chimney directed the smoke outside so as not to fill the room with it.

Leading off the living room was a very short hallway, with one door on either side leading to the two bedrooms and another door at the end leading to the shared bathroom. The two bedrooms were furnished more sparsely than the living room, with only a bed, a bedside table with a lamp, and a wardrobe.

"Obviously the longer we stay here, the more we'll put in the cabin to make it more homey," Hermione stated. "For now, though, let's go back to your house and you can tell us everything you know about what's going on with Bella and her husband. To save time, we'll Apparate back, if that's all right. You'll come with one of us, of course. It's a bit uncomfortable at first but you'll be safe."

Charlie looked apprehensive, but Severus realized that Hermione's Gryffindor bravery was apparently a family trait; Charlie squared his shoulders and set his jaw and nodded. So Hermione tucked her hand into the crook of her Uncle's arm and spun the two of them away while Severus followed instantly.

Later that afternoon, just fifteen minutes after Severus had Apparated back to Hogwarts for his brief meeting with Minerva and Charlie had been called in to the station to help sort out a problem with another sighting of the bears or wolves or whatever they were, Hermione decided it was time to find her cousin. Uncle Charlie had told her and Severus everything he knew about what was going on with Bella and her husband and his family, and after what he'd told her, she was worried about him. He was beside himself with worry over his ill daughter, who kept putting off allowing Charlie to visit.

Apparently last time Bella had spoken to Charlie, she'd said the Cullens thought she was getting better and that she wasn't contagious, but then she'd turned around and said that they still didn't think it was a good idea for her to visit or have visitors herself. Hermione had absolutely no idea what was going on with her cousin, but obviously there was more going on than Charlie could guess at, probably more than anyone would ever be able to guess at. And Charlie was nearly frantic.

Hermione decided she'd follow this lead – the Cullens – and see if she could find out what was wrong with Bella. After all, she was a witch who had some experience with minor healing, and more than that, she was travelling with a Potions Master who, due to the need for absolute secrecy, had learned from necessity to heal himself after meetings with Voldemort had not gone in his favor. Between the two of them, they'd figure out how to heal Bella where these Cullens had failed.

She'd found out from Charlie where the Cullens lived, and despite his having told her that they and Bella were out of the country, she decided to follow a rather powerful instinct that told her to start there. She wrote a note to both Severus and Charlie telling them where she was and stuck it on the refrigerator door before Disapparating.

She appeared a fraction of a second later in the midst of a clearing of trees in the woods, and her eyebrows rose in surprise when she saw the large, stately house rising before her. Glancing to her right she saw what looked like part of a long, winding driveway that curved around one side of the enormous house and disappeared behind it. To her left were more trees, as thick as the Forbidden Forest back at Hogwarts but not nearly so ominous-looking. These were, for one thing, far greener and healthier-looking.

Straight ahead was the porch leading to the front door of the Cullen residence. She immediately noted that none of the windows had drapes or blinds drawn over them, so she knew someone was home. Without another thought, she strode forward purposefully up to the porch, up the steps, and to the front door, where she rang the doorbell.

Moments later, the door was opened to reveal a very handsome fair-skinned man with blonde hair and golden eyes seemingly in his late twenties. It was the golden eyes that made Hermione blink, but a tingle she felt in the fingertips of her currently empty wand-hand (which she'd just used to answer the doorbell) that made her frown momentarily. Something was very off about this man.

"Hello," she said before he could speak, pushing away the feeling that told her something was wrong. "My name is Hermione, and I'm looking for my cousin Bella. I was told she was staying here and I hoped I could come see her. Sorry for the short notice, but I had planned it as a bit of a surprise. Is she here?" She spoke casually, careful to sound earnest and open.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Hermione. My name is Carlisle. I'm afraid Bella is very ill and is currently being treated out of the country at the moment. But if you like I can let her know that you called on her next time I speak with her," the man said. The moment he started speaking Hermione realized exactly what was wrong, and dread settled in the pit of her stomach. She knew _exactly_ what kind of creature possessed a voice like that.

"Well, if you could perhaps tell me where she is and provide me with some contact information so that I might speak with her myself, I'd appreciate it. I haven't heard from her in _ages_ and I miss her," Hermione responded, fully aware that any information he did give her would be false. _Out of the country my arse,_ she thought. _He's hiding something, and probably her as well. Damn! Why didn't I wait for Severus? He probably has far more experience dealing with vampires than I. Wonder what the issue is with the golden eyes._

Before Carlisle could say anything, however, a shocked voice sounded from somewhere inside the house. "Harmony?"

It was feminine, and very weak-sounding. Hermione almost didn't recognize it as belonging to her cousin. When a glance at the man's – Carlisle's – face showed her a lack of reaction other than a faint shift in his gaze and the fact that he seemed to tense ever so slightly, the tingle in the fingertips of her wand-hand spread throughout her entire arm.

Hermione peered over Carlisle's shoulder and caught a glimpse of a familiar face peering at her from a sofa in the living room beyond.

Horrified, Hermione realized that Bella was paler than usual, except for the dark circles beneath the brown eyes they shared, eyes they had inherited from Charlie Swan and his sister, Hermione's mother. Bella was also far too thin. _Merlin! And people told me I was too skinny after being on the run so long! That was nothing compared to this!_

Her senses and reflexes honed to pin-point sharpness, Hermione also took extremely brief note of the other occupants of the house, most of them gathered about the sofa upon which Bella reclined. Though for the most part they all had differently-colored hair, they all shared the same golden eyes and pale skin as Carlisle, and they all stood unnaturally still.

The realization of exactly what the Cullens were hit her at almost the exact same moment that Bella decided to slowly and painstakingly haul herself to her feet. Instantly Hermione's expression morphed to one of mingled shock, horror, and fury.

* * *

So...? What did we think?

Now, in the Elements I said I wouldn't be telling you at the end of each chapter what goes on in the next one, but since I've got most of the next chapter written already, I think I'm safe. Basically, Severus and Hermione meet certain immortals and find out exactly what is wrong with Bella after all.

RP13


	4. Conversing With the Coven

Oh, look, a blue moon! And another update in less than 24 hours! Wow! Of course, I cheated. I already had most of this chapter written, even before the first part of the previous chapters. See, my inspiration often comes in chunks - I come up with certain scenarios, get them all written down before they escape me, and then build a story around them. And then sometimes, as with the Elements, I have the first few chapters thought up and written out in order and at the same time get ideas for scenarios further along in the story, and then have to come up with a way to connect them. So my updates with my stories will usually be patchy - sometimes two or three in a period of just a couple days, other times two or three weeks between one update and the next. Just be patient with me; there's madness to my method.

Literally nothing in this chapter is mine except some of the plot. Everything else belongs to Ms. Rowling and Ms. Meyer. Not even all the writing is mine. There is a chunk of this chapter were certain lines of text are taken directly from Breaking Dawn. I've marked each line with an asterisk *. Normally I wouldn't borrow text and dialogue, but it just seemed to fit.

* * *

_Chapter Four_

_~Conversing With the Coven ~_

Without further ado she shoved past Carlisle into the house and positioned herself close to a shocked-looking Bella, drawing her wand as she moved. "Which one of you bloodsuckers did this to her?!" she demanded of the room at large. She stood protectively in front of her cousin, her posture half-crouched and intended to leave no doubt in anyone's mind that she would aggressively defend her cousin with every fiber of her being.

Her eyes flitted restlessly from one occupant of the room to the next, waiting to see who would be the first to attack. When both the male with wild bronze hair and the female with luxurious blonde masses both moved forward, she raised her wand, the tip of which was beginning to glow, and opened her mouth to start hexing.

"Hermione, no!" shouted another voice. Out of the corner of her eye a black blur caught her attention, and when she looked up to see Severus Snape bearing down on her, things happened rather quickly.

Another blur of movement out of the corner of each eye caught her attention again, and then there were two successive bangs, each accompanied by a flash of light that blinded even the vampires. Several voices exclaimed in surprise. Once everyone's vision cleared, they could see large holes in the eastern and western walls of the room. The blonde female and the bronze-haired male each lay among the rubble scattered about the base of each hole, having been thrown through the walls by the force of Hermione's spell. A second male, bulky with dark hair and prominent muscles, lay dazed in the middle of a small crater in the living room floor about five feet in front of Severus.

The dark wizard sighed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "You really should not have attacked," he said to the three vampires who were sitting up, looking about with dazed and confused expressions. "As you no doubt have seen, Hermione doesn't take well to those who believe they can catch her by surprise. Often they themselves are the ones taken by surprise instead, as evidenced by the dazed expressions on your faces, a look which, I might add, does not suit vampires at all."

"What the fuck just happened?" the dark-haired vampire asked as he and the other two got to their feet. His tone was one of surprise more than anything else as he climbed out of the hole in the living room floor.

"A witch happened. You moved to attack, so she moved to defend."

"A witch?" asked the bronze-haired man incredulously.

Edward moved once more toward the two human girls, but the shorter one, the petite stranger with her masses of wild curls and a deceptively harmless-looking stick in her hand, scowled fiercely at him, raising the stick higher and pointing it right at him. "Back off!" she snarled, her brown eyes – the same color as Bella's, he noted – sparking.

Edward glanced at the human man, who met his gaze and raised one eyebrow as if to say he wouldn't be responsible for the consequences of Edward's refusal to heed the girl's warning. When Edward attempted to read the thoughts behind the look, he was astonished and frustrated to hit a wall of seemingly solid, completely opaque mist. He was further astonished to see the smirk on the man's face as he tapped a single forefinger to his temple. He decided it might be best to heed the warning, at least until he knew what these people were.

"Yes, a witch," the man responded with forced patience. He spoke slowly, as if he rather thought Edward was a bit slow. "Hermione is a witch and can cast spells and brew potions, among other things. She wields a wand and is a rather…formidable opponent, even for witches and wizards who are older and more experienced than she. Add to that the fact that she has just played a key role in a war in which she was a primary target to a rather deranged despot who wished to take over the world. Her reflexes and senses are extremely sharp."

"Are you going to tell them everything about us, Severus?" she demanded sharply. Though she spoke to him, her eyes never stopped roaming about the room, keeping tabs on its other occupants.

Before he could answer though, a rather distressed and weak-sounding voice spoke up from behind Hermione. "Wait…what? Witches and wizards? Harmony, what's going on? Who is that? And why did you attack Edward, Rosalie, and Emmett?" Bella asked plaintively, using the nickname she and Charlie had given Hermione, who had always been the peacemaker in the family, when the girls were young.

Frowning, Hermione glanced over her shoulder at her cousin but didn't turn around. "Yes, Bella. Witches and wizards are real. I am one. But surely knowing about the existence of witches and wizards shouldn't be that much of a surprise given the present company! Or did you never wonder why they move so impossibly fast, why their skin is hard as granite and cold as ice, or why they are so inhumanly strong? And what do you mean, why did I attack them? They're vampires. Look what they've done to you!"

"I know what they are, Harmony," Bella responded, her voice sounding insistent, weak and ill though it was. "But how do _you_ know what they are? And they haven't done anything to me! I married Edward and now I'm going to have a baby, that's it!"

At this, Hermione lowered her wand and spun to face her cousin, mouth agape in shock and disbelief. As she moved, she caught a glimpse of the bronze-haired male vampire rolling his eyes. "That's it?" she said incredulously. "You married a vampire and he got you pregnant and _that's it?_ What about the part where you _married a vampire_ and are now pregnant with a half-vampire baby that will most likely tear you to shreds as you attempt to deliver it?"

"Please, Harmony, you don't understand! He's good, all the Cullens are! They don't drink human blood, they don't harm humans at all! That's why their eyes are golden! Come on, you noticed their eyes, right? You had to have noticed them," Bella pleaded. The look on her face was open and earnest as she spoke with her cousin.

Severus watched the proceedings with interest while the vampires watched with wariness. Bella's insistence that Hermione had to have noticed the vampires' eyes struck a chord with Severus. It sounded as if Bella understood her cousin very well and knew that Hermione would pay very close attention to such details and that what Hermione didn't understand about such details, she would endeavor to find out. The way Hermione had spoken to Bella made him think that she'd expected Bella to be far more sensible and practical than to fall in love with and marry a vampire.

But when he saw by the expressions on the faces of everyone, vampire and human, in the room that the tension was mounting, he knew that an argument between the cousins would only make things worse. So he intervened once more.

"Hermione, it looks to me as if there is far more to the story than it would seem. Whatever the situation is, the fact remains that your cousin is pregnant and the stress cannot be good for her," he said to the witch, who looked suddenly ashamed of herself. Then he addressed the room at large. "Might I suggest we all sit down and hear the entire story from the beginning? It appears there are things Hermione and I need to understand before we make hasty judgments. And there are things that you need to understand about Hermione and I before you judge us in turn."

Everyone else agreed and moved hesitantly to sit down. Edward darted in to help Bella, and when Hermione would have objected, Severus's firm hand gripping her shoulder stopped her. She looked at him, frowning, and he shook his head.

Then, before she could sit down, he said to her, "Before you sit, I believe there are some repairs that need to be made."

She frowned, momentarily puzzled, but when she realized what he was talking about, her eyes narrowed and her jaw set mulishly. But he merely raised one eyebrow at her, and eventually she caved under the power of the same Professor Snape expression that had cowed her in school. Rolling her eyes at him – something she _never_ would have dared in school – she turned, drawing her wand, and went over to stand before one of the holes she had made launching the two vampires through the walls. Her wand waved about in the air in silence, and the scattered debris from the walls flew back into place, sealing the hole completely. She repeated the process with the other wall and then the floor until there was no evidence that anything had been launched through either of the walls or driven through the floor, and then she went to sit beside Severus on the loveseat he'd settled in.

Edward had helped Bella settle onto the sofa, where she leaned back against the arm, her feet held in Edward's lap as he sat beside her. The other vampires all placed themselves in various spots around the room.

The oldest-looking of the females, who appeared to be in her mid-twenties (though Hermione knew they were all most likely much older than they appeared) and who had soft billows of just-past-shoulder-length dark brown hair that looked like something out of the nineteen forties, settled in one of the plush armchairs.

The golden-haired man who had greeted Hermione at the door, Carlisle, stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. They shared a brief glance that was actually somewhat reassuring to Hermione. It was a familiar look filled with a deep, unconditional love; she'd seen the same look on the faces of her parents as well as Molly and Arthur Weasley.

The beautiful blonde female who had attempted to attack Hermione settled as far away from the witch as she could while remaining in the same room, and stood in a corner near the fireplace. Hermione noted that her position, while far from Hermione, was still fairly close to Bella, and Hermione figured she'd placed herself there so that if she thought she needed to, she could still place herself between the pregnant Bella and the witch.

The dark-haired male sat himself on a chair brought from the adjoining dining room, placed between the armchair where the older female sat and the loveseat supporting Hermione and Severus. As he brought the armchair over, he watched the witch and wizard warily out of the corner of his eye, and Hermione struggled to keep from smiling in amusement.

A third vampire female, this one with short dark hair and a pixie-like facial structure, perched upon the arm of the sofa against which Bella leaned, and Bella leaned her head back against the vampire's lap. She was much more petite, closer in size to Hermione than to the other two female vampires or Bella.

The final vampire was another blonde male, not as tall as the bulky, dark-haired male but taller than both the bronze-haired male and Carlisle. His expression was more guarded than the expressions of the rest of his coven. He positioned himself off to one side of the group, simultaneously isolating himself a little and ensuring that he could see the facial expressions of everyone present.

Once everyone was seated, Severus spoke again. "Now then. Mrs. Cullen…it is Mrs. Cullen, correct, not Miss Swan?" When Bella gave a tired nod, he continued. "I think it would be best if you told us from the beginning about how you came to be married to a vampire. Then Hermione and I will explain the Wizarding World she and I are a part of."

Before Bella could begin to explain, however, Carlisle decided introductions were necessary, and briefly introduced the witch and wizard to the rest of his family members. In turn, Hermione clarified for the rest of the Cullen family that she was Bella's cousin, and introduced everyone to Severus.

After the introductions, however, she fell silent. Severus could see in her expression, however, a mixture of fear, concern, protectiveness, and even guilt. No doubt the witch felt her cousin would not be in such a situation if she'd protected her better. But Severus could also see what the over-protective, somewhat biased Hermione could not; Bella Cullen, nee Swan, and her husband Edward were deeply in love.

Bella could see the same expressions in her cousin's face, and though she could understand to some degree why Hermione felt the way she did, she still didn't understand why Hermione's emotions were so powerful, or how Hermione even knew of the existence of vampires to begin with. But she and the dark man had said something about being a witch and a wizard and being part of another world. Maybe contact with the kind of vampires that attacked people was more common in their world. For all Bella knew, Hermione might have witnessed such attacks herself, which would then explain why the presence of vampires in her cousin's life was so disturbing to her.

But the Cullens were nothing like the vampires who attacked people. They were, for lack of a better word, incredible. Everything from their reverence for human life to their tight family bonds was completely different from other vampires. Clearly Hermione didn't know that, and so Bella strove to do justice to the Cullens in her explanation of how she'd met Edward and his family and fallen in love with him. She explained in detail about Edward's struggle and incredible self-restraint when they'd first met, his subsequent efforts to save her life or protect her several times over, the drama with James, Victoria, and Laurent, and the Cullens' feeding habits. She didn't mention the time Jasper had nearly killed her, Edward's resulting decision to leave her, the months she'd spent in a deep depression as a result, the Quileute wolves (she didn't mention the wolves because it wasn't her secret to share), or the encounter with the Volturi in Italy. She briefly mentioned Victoria's creation of a newborn vampire army, and hastily reassured Hermione of the Cullens' successful defeat of said army and destruction of said female vampire when the other girl looked murderous. Then she explained the deal she'd made with Edward that he would change her if she married him, as well as her desire for a real honeymoon before the change caused her to be consumed by bloodthirstiness, and the pregnancy that resulted.

When she finished her explanation, Hermione stared at her, absolutely torn. She realized now how much Bella and Edward loved each other, but she was horrified by Bella's insistence upon a real honeymoon while she was still human and refusal to be patient and wait until the bloodthirstiness passed. That had been the biggest difference between the two cousins, who in many ways were eerily similar; while both were highly intelligent and mature for their age as well as immensely practical, Bella had always been the more impatient of the two, while Hermione seemed to have an endless supply of patience.

She also realized, however, that Edward would never truly harm Bella, that the intense familial bonds between all the Cullens meant that none of the others would harm Bella either, and that the Cullens truly were, in every sense of the word, good. She sighed, rubbing her temples to rid herself of the headache that was blossoming behind her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, her voice low. "It's quite clear to me now how much you all care for Bella, and for one another, and that all of you would do everything in your power to keep her safe and happy. I suppose that's all I can ask for my cousin. It seems I overreacted without understanding all the facts. But as you will see, my fears aren't unwarranted. I have witnessed vampires commit atrocities that would make Victoria's newborn army seem docile, all in the name of a hypocritical despot who sought to purge the world of what he saw as its impurities."

Then she narrowed her eyes and turned her gaze on Edward, who tensed ever so slightly. It would seem he wasn't used to being thrown through walls by such a small slip of a girl. "As for you," she said severely, and Severus didn't know whether to be amused or terrified by her striking resemblance just then to Professor McGonagall. "I hope you realize just how lucky you are that I understand my cousin as well as I do, and that I've come to realize you would never intentionally harm her, or I could have a lot to say about you giving in to her insistence on a real honeymoon while still human." She shook her head, one hand over her eyes. "What you were thinking, Bella-bee!" she exclaimed, using the nickname she'd called Bella by when they were little. "I was supposed to be the one more inclined to do stupid things, not you! For all your impatience, you were still always the more level-headed!"

The petite dark-haired vampire spoke next. Her eyes were on Hermione, brows arched in surprise. "If Bella is supposed to be the more level-headed of the two of you, I'd hate to think of the stupid things you're inclined to do," she chimed.

It was Severus who answered her. "You have no idea. The way she charged in and confronted a room full of known vampires wasn't enough of a clue? Trust me, getting involved with a coven of vampires such as yourselves would seem almost mundane, no offense, compared to the dangers Hermione and her two friends are constantly putting themselves in," he said, ignoring Hermione's glare.

"Well, with a cryptic statement like that, you've managed to make us all curious. Please, we're all anxious to hear more about your world," Carlisle said.

And so Severus and Hermione took turns explaining the Wizarding World from differing perspectives, as well as their respective roles in the war. Both downplayed their own roles in the war, but had much more to say about each other. The Cullens and Bella were coming to understand that neither gave credit where it was not due, and so as Hermione praised Severus's immense skill as a spy and master duelist and Severus insisted that it was her intelligence and resourcefulness that had kept Harry Potter alive long enough to bring about Voldemort's end, the Cullens also came to realize that they were in the presence of two war heroes who had seen and done things that put even Carlisle's four hundred or so years of experience to shame. As their explanation went on, the Cullens began to understand not only Severus's comment about the dangers Hermione and her friends were always putting themselves in but also Hermione's intense reaction to the discovery that her cousin was involved with vampires.

Jasper had wondered initially, once he'd had a chance to examine the witch and wizard, how two mortals could be so scarred. His own violent experiences left him with a tendency to notice the effects, both physical and emotional, that war and fighting had on people; naturally, he noticed their scars, and was puzzled by Hermione's scars in particular.

As his eyes traced the words carved permanently into her flesh, he inquired as to their meaning, and his entire family noticed the changes that came instantly over both Hermione and Severus. Hermione's expression went dull, almost lifeless, her eyes not seeming to see anything in the room; Severus's expression remained neutral, but the quiet rage that flared to life in the depths of his black eyes gave him away. All the Cullens noticed how he shifted almost imperceptibly closer to the witch, his body language conveying a sense of protectiveness.

Hermione's voice was flat, almost monotonous, as she explained with almost clinical detachment the widespread prejudice against witches and wizards born to non-magical parents as well as the meaning of the words, and finally the torture she'd experienced at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange. Her back was ramrod straight as she spoke, and her right hand was clenched into a fist, her nails digging into her palm, while the fingertips of her left hand traced over the word "mudblood" carved into her skin.

Despite the monotony of Hermione's voice, the look on her face would haunt her cousin for the rest of her life. Bella listened, her heart in her throat, as Hermione finished with a quiet, subdued explanation of the other, hidden scars that had resulted from Bellatrix Lestrange's torture. When Hermione told them, her hands subconsciously clutching her lower belly, how her womb and ovaries had sustained irreparable damage from the prolonged torture, Bella's heart shattered for her cousin. Reflexively she put a protective hand over her own belly.

She took a deep, nearly silent breath of surprise when she felt a gentle nudge against her hand, the gentlest motion she'd had from her unborn child yet. It was almost…comforting.

Bella looked back up to find Hermione's eyes resting on the spot where she'd touched her belly. The witch's eyes were full of pain, though her face was still mostly stoic.

Everyone noticed where Hermione's eyes rested, and Jasper suddenly found his mind bombarded with a mixture of emotions. From Esme he felt a peculiar sensation centering in his chest and realized she felt as if she could almost feel her heart breaking for Hermione; from Carlisle he was getting a mixture of shock, compassion, and relief, and was puzzled by the last emotion. He'd have to ask. Alice was radiating waves of sadness while Emmett was highly disturbed. Rosalie and Edward were both enraged, and he could practically feel his own mouth filling with venom as theirs most likely were. And Bella's emotions were the most complex, likely due to her relationship with Hermione. Shock, grief, fury, and helplessness warred with things Jasper couldn't as easily name. A sense of protectiveness, perhaps, as well as…relief? Relief that Hermione had survived with mind and body intact? Relief that Hermione had someone to help her recover?

The pregnant Bella, who had silent tears running down her face, slowly got to her feet and ignored Edward's silent protests. Then she made her way over to her cousin and pulled her into her arms for an embrace. Meanwhile, Hermione's eyes were dry, and as she and her cousin held each other tightly, nobody was entirely certain who was comforting whom.

After a few moments, they released each other and Bella returned to her spot on the couch next to Edward, who pulled her feet back into his lap. Hermione sat back down on the loveseat next to Severus, who, Bella was extremely pleased to note, moved closer so that their sides were pressed together and took her hand, linking his fingers with hers. Jasper was extremely interested by the intense feelings of protectiveness and possessiveness, along with something else Jasper wasn't sure he had a name for but that felt very much like what he felt for his wife Alice.

The vampires all seemed to sense that the war was a topic neither the witch nor the wizard cared to discuss any more, and so they began to ask more questions about life in the Wizarding World in general. Jasper was greatly interested in the Ministry of Magic, while the competitive Emmett was eager to hear about Quidditch and other Wizarding games, including the Triwizard Tournament, though when the telling of that particular tale ventured too close to the subject of Voldemort's return and the start of the second war, the Cullens dropped that topic. Edward and Carlisle were particularly interested in the different classes offered at Hogwarts, while Esme loved hearing about the holiday feasts and traditions, and when Alice picked up on the faint note of derision in Hermione's voice as she mentioned divination and inquired about it, she scoffed at Hermione's explanation, clearly sharing Hermione's sentiments about the general unreliability of divination as a whole.

"That is _not_ predicting the future. _I_ predict the future. That's a load of nonsense that anyone with half a brain and a penchant for theatrics can learn." Then, upon seeing Hermione's curious expression, she explained not only her powers but also Jasper's and Edward's abilities.

When Edward was explaining his abilities to read the minds of anyone he encountered, Severus smirked in triumph at the nearly imperceptible note of frustration that colored Edward's voice as he spoke. Hermione saw his expression and, thinking she knew what might have triggered it, she asked Edward with a shrewd look in her eyes. "You can't read either of our minds, can you? And it frustrates you to no end, doesn't it?"

He sighed, running his fingers through his wild bronze hair. "No, I can't, and yes, it does," he replied.

"Don't feel too badly," Severus advised. "I am a master at the magic that allows me to block my thoughts from people trying to read them. I have had to be, in order to keep my role as a double agent for the Order of the Phoenix a secret from Voldemort. He was a master Legilimens."

When the vampires looked at him in question, he elaborated. "Legilimency is a kind of magic that enables one to enter the mind of someone else and know their thoughts. Occlumency is the magic that counters Legilimency and enables one to completely conceal one's thoughts. Against an accomplished Occlumens, a Legilimens is rendered effectively useless. As for why you are unable to read Hermione's mind, there are two possibilities. One, she, like myself, has become a master Occlumens and that is all there is to it. Or two, the genes she shares with Isabella indicate that her mind would probably be closed to you even without the magic of Occlumency."

Edward contemplated this for a while, but then Jasper spoke up. "If you can block people from reading your thoughts, why am I still able to pick up on your emotions?" he asked.

The witch and wizard pondered this for a moment. Finally Hermione answered, speaking thoughtfully. "Probably the same way you're able to pick up on Bella's emotions. Emotions are controlled by the brain, yes, but they're much more elemental and involve the body much more than thoughts do, which is why fear, anger, and excitement all cause the heart to pound and blood to flow faster and why sadness brings tears. Thoughts are much easier to consciously control, since they're purely a product of the mind. You can't force yourself to feel happy when your body is telling you you should be sad." After a moment, she added, her gaze far away as if she were caught up in a memory, "Though sometimes we become good enough liars that we can fool ourselves into believing nothing is wrong, the sadness is still there, hidden."

Of course, Jasper immediately picked up on the very sadness she spoke of, as did Bella and Esme. Of course, Esme was uncommonly compassionate and Bella was similar enough in personality to her cousin that they understood each other perfectly even without having seen each other in so long; neither of the two Cullen women needed Jasper's special abilities to pick up on the sadness hiding in Hermione's gaze. It was a sadness that had actually been there since she'd started explaining the war, but it had intensified just now. What none of the three Cullens understood was why.

Severus, who also saw the sadness there, was the only person who understood the reason for her sadness. Though he hadn't been there with her while she and her friends had been on their Horcrux hunt, he understood that this sorrow had been there ever since she'd removed herself from her parents' lives with two very powerful and completely irreversible Memory Charms.

Esme spoke up in hopes of cheering everyone up. "Severus, Hermione, have either of you eaten?" she asked. "While we ourselves don't eat, we do keep food in the house for Bella. Of course, she hasn't been able to keep anything down, so we still have quite a bit that will spoil if it isn't used. We can make anything you'd like."

Severus declined, replying that they had eaten lunch around one that afternoon, while Hermione shook her head with a distractedly murmured, "No, thank you." She frowned thoughtfully as she stared hard off into space.

The Cullens, Bella, and Severus all noted her strange behavior; Severus and Bella were the only ones who shrugged it off, knowing that this particular habit of hers precluded an announcement that she had to either "go to the library" or "go look something up" and they understood that they wouldn't get any explanations until after she'd figured things out.

This time, however, when she emerged from her staring contest with the wall, she focused immediately on her pregnant cousin. "You haven't been able to keep anything down at all? Since you got pregnant?"

Bella shook her head. "No, nothing. For whatever reason, the baby's rejecting everything I've tried."

Hermione frowned harder. "This sounds awfully familiar, but I can't think…wait!" She whipped her head around to look at Severus and said, "Tonks!"

He stared, then replied, "You're losing it, Hermione. I'm Severus, remember?"

She shook her head impatiently. "No, no, Tonks had a similar problem when she was pregnant with Teddy. You know, what with Teddy being half werewolf and all?"

The Cullens and Bella all stared in shock. "What?" Bella asked incredulously.

"Our Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor from my third year, a friend of Harry's parents when they were in school, is a werewolf, whose transformations only occur on the night of the full moon and are uncontrollable. He takes a potion once a month that makes him harmless, though. But anyway, he married a woman named Nymphadora Tonks – she hates her first name, so everyone calls her Tonks – and she became pregnant with his son, and when she did, she said that she couldn't keep anything down except for raw steak – Merlin!" she exclaimed, interrupting herself with a gasp.

"What?" Severus and Bella demanded at the same time, both of them impatient with Hermione's tendency towards eloquence when she was working out a mystery.

"Teddy Lupin," Hermione began, trying to force herself to stay calm and not gag, "is half-werewolf and though he doesn't transform, his mum could only eat raw steaks when she was pregnant. _Your_ child is half-vampire! What if -"

Edward was the first to catch on. "It's thirsty!" A tiny spark of hope lit the eyes that Hermione had noted early on looked duller than those of the rest of the Cullens.

Bella blinked. "Oh. _Oh._" *

Hermione nodded. "I don't know that I've ever heard of a half-vampire, half-human, but it seems logical that such a being would be able to consume both blood and human food, but would probably prefer blood, which is why you've been unable to keep anything down. Similarly to the way human babies cause their mothers to crave certain foods, Teddy Lupin gave his mother intense cravings for rare meat and an inability to stomach anything else, though since he was born she's been able to revert to her normal diet. It seems logical that your baby, who is half-vampire, would give you cravings for blood."

Carlisle looked thoughtful. "Hmm. I wonder…and then, what would be the best way to administer…" *

Rosalie, the blonde female vampire, spoke up for the first time. She shook her head impatiently. "We don't have time to be creative. I'd say we should start with the traditional way." *

Bella nodded slowly. "I've got to drink it," she murmured. "I can do that. Practice for the future, right?" Her colorless lips stretched into a faint grin as she looked at Edward. He didn't smile back. *

Hermione's lips flattened at the reminder of Bella's intent to become a vampire, but she reminded herself that the rest of the Cullens were good. They'd be able to help her get over her craving for human blood. It was then, knowing full-well what newborn vampires were like and how difficult they could be to control, that she made an instantaneous decision. _And so will I. If I have to keep her under a full body-bind until she learns to control herself, then I will. I will not let my cousin take herself off on a murdering rampage she would regret for all eternity if I can help it._

Rosalie started tapping her foot impatiently *, and the sound began to grate on Hermione's nerves. Hermione was really starting to dislike the blonde female, and was tempted to launch her through the wall again. But she really did like Esme and Carlisle, and though she knew she could easily repair any damage she caused to their home, she saw no need to cause them undue stress by further antagonizing a member of their family. So she gritted her teeth and kept her mouth shut and her wand to herself.

Severus, of course, felt no such qualms. "Will you cease that infernal tapping?" he hissed with a deadly glare at the blonde vampire. "Your kind may not get headaches, but some of us mere mortals have ears just as sensitive as yours, and we _do_ have a tendency towards cerebral pains when forced to endure such an onslaught to our eardrums."

Rosalie complied with a glare, and Hermione was interested to note that such a glare coming from such a pretty face was indeed formidable, but it seemed not even a vampire could match the sheer venom for which Severus's glares were famous.

"If we're done sniping at each other," Edward snapped irritably, though his hold on Bella remained gentle.

"So who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?" Bella whispered. *

Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. *

"What?" she asked. *

"It will be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella," Carlisle said. *

"_If_ the fetus is craving blood," Edward explained, "it's not craving animal blood." *

"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it," Rosalie encouraged. *

Bella's eyes widened. "Who?" she breathed. *

Hermione's and Severus's eyebrows snapped together in mirroring frowns. "Hold the bloody phone," Hermione snarled. "I thought the intent would be to provide her with animal blood. As much as we want to help, we will not sanction murder to satisfy the craving of an unborn child! There _has_ to be another way to get her what she needs!"

Carlisle held his hands up in a gesture of peace. "We already have blood on hand, all donated. No one is going to die. We were reserving it for after Bella's transformation, in order to help her resist the need to kill anyone."

Mollified, Hermione sighed. "Fine. You have it here?"

Carlisle nodded and replied, "I'll be right back." He turned and left the room in a blur of motion, returning seconds later with a plastic bag filled with a red liquid.

_Vampires,_ Hermione thought to herself. If vampires had any particular trait that she envied, it would have to be their speed. Of course, witches and wizards had a number of different means of speedy travel, a couple of which put a vampire's speed to shame, but she did enjoy running every now and then, and it would be nice to be able to run with such speed.

Carlisle vanished into the kitchen and reappeared a moment later with a foam cup topped with a lid and an opaque straw; Hermione understood that the purpose of that was to cause Bella as little stress as possible.

Carlisle hesitated, the hand with the cup half-extended. Bella eyed it, * looking nervous.

"We could try another method," Carlisle said quietly. *

"No," Bella whispered. "No, I'll try this first. We don't have time…" Her hand fluttered feebly against her stomach. * Hermione's lips twisted into a half-grimace, half-smirk. Of course Bella would be more concerned for the half-monster destroying her body from within than for herself.

Of course, Hermione couldn't truthfully say she wouldn't feel exactly the same in her cousin's position. _I'd probably feel even more protective,_ she thought, a whisper of sadness tingeing her thoughts as she was reminded yet again that she'd never know what it was to feel protective of _any_ child, however harmful, growing inside her belly.

She watched as Bella took the cup from Carlisle, her hand a little trembly. She lifted the cup to her face and sniffed at the end of the straw. She flinched, and then made a face. *

"Bella, sweetheart, we can find an easier way," Edward said, holding his hand out for the cup. *

"Plug your nose," Rosalie suggested. _Of all the inane suggestions…_Severus thought in annoyance. _As if plugging her nose now will allow her to forget the smell now that she's had a whiff._

"No, that's not it. It's just that it -" Bella sucked in a deep breath. "It smells good," she admitted in a tiny voice. *

Hermione struggled to keep the distaste from her face and couldn't help but think of the irony. Her cousin, who'd once upon a time gotten dizzy just at the idea of having her finger pricked, now about to drink blood from a straw.

"That's a good thing," Rosalie told Bella eagerly. "That means we're on the right track. Give it a try." *

Bella shoved the straw between her lips, squeezed her eyes shut, and wrinkled her nose. She sipped at it for a second, and then moaned quietly with her eyes still closed. *

Edward stepped forward and touched her face. "Bella, love -" *

"I'm okay," she whispered. She opened her eyes and stared up at him. Her expression was…apologetic. Pleading. Scared. "It _tastes_ good too." *

Her stomach churning at the idea, Hermione stood. "And that's my cue to leave the room. I'm sorry, Bella-bee. While I recognize that it may help you now, I've also seen far too much blood spilled over the past several years, and far too much havoc created using blood as a tool of dark magic. I'll be back when you've finished. For now, Severus and I need to speak with Carlisle, and Edward as well if he doesn't mind."

Carlisle and Edward both nodded, though Edward lingered with Bella for a moment, uncertain, until she shooed him off, saying she'd be fine, that Rosalie, Esme, and Alice were there if she needed something.

The two vampire males approached Hermione, who asked, "Is it all right if we use the dining room? Obviously I don't want to be too far from her to react if necessary, I just can't deal with the blood at the moment." It was one thing she'd never told Severus, but one of her worst nightmares was of him lying in a pool of his blood after Nagini had bitten him, only in her nightmare, she couldn't save him.

Carlisle gave his consent and they all went into the dining room, though none of them sat. "We need to decide what to tell Uncle Charlie. If it were up to me, I'd tell him the entire truth. Severus and I told him this morning about witches and wizards and magic and he took it fairly well. I think he deserves to know the truth about what's happening to his daughter."

Both vampire males frowned, Carlisle in thought and Edward in protest. "Does it make sense to get his hopes up? Let him see her as she is now and convince him she may pull through only to have his hopes destroyed if she doesn't make it?" the younger male asked.

He flinched when Hermione shot to her feet and glared at him, leaning forward with her hands braced on the table. "You listen here. She's not going to die!" she hissed at him with more venom than any vampire, careful not to raise her voice and distress Bella. "I don't care if we have to induce a coma and remove the baby by magic and then use your venom to turn her, but I won't let her die!" She sounded absolutely furious, but there was a desperation in her eyes that gave her true feelings away. She was scared.

More calmly than she had, Severus rose, placing a firm hand on her shoulder and gently urging her back into her seat. "Calm down, Hermione. We will do what we can," he told her. He turned to Edward and Carlisle and said, "I'm not sure if you understand the magnitude of the sacrifices Hermione has made in order to protect everyone she loves so that our side would win the war, but for all intents and purposes, Bella and Charlie are the _only family she has left._ I would advise not suggesting that someone she loves is likely to die until after she has done everything she can, and failed, to save them. As for doing what we can, we do have a few connections who may be able to help. The nurse at Hogwarts School is an extremely competent healer. Hermione herself has skills in protective spells that are unparalleled. I am a Master at brewing Potions for everything from curing acne to curing sexually transmitted diseases, from inducing a coma to bringing someone back from one, from increasing a woman's fertility to terminating a pregnancy. Between the three of us, we will be able to come up with something."

* * *

Annnndddd...there we go. And again, I have a lot of the next chapter already written, so I have no qualms about telling you who we'll meet next. We briefly will encounter a particular havoc-causing Death Eater, and will have a much lengthier powwow with a group of rather, er, _lupine_ young people. And the _following _chapter is where the M rating comes into play as things get...heated...between our favorite witch and wizard. How do you like my innuendos?

RP13


	5. Wolves

Ooh, I'm on a roll. My last update was what, four, five days ago? Well, I'm crankin' it out now, but I have a feeling I'm going to hit a brick wall a couple of chapters from now.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Nothing. Just the cabin. And the idea for spirit forms. Everything else is JKR's and S. Meyer's.

* * *

_Chapter Five_

_~Wolves~_

That evening, Severus and Hermione Apparated back to the woods where their cabin was. Silently, a small frown wrinkling her brow, Hermione led the way through the wards, which all bent around her and Severus, letting them through to the cabin door. They both placed their palms flat on the door, and it swung open to admit them.

Severus watched as Hermione crossed the living room and placed her small beaded bag, which she'd had with her the entire afternoon at the Cullens' home, on the coffee table. She knelt on the floor between the futon and the coffee table and opened her beaded bag, reaching inside.

He'd heard tales of her small bag with its Undetectable Extension Charm, but hadn't really seen it in action until now; this morning – was it only then? It seemed so long ago – she'd already had her belongings from her time in the rainforest packed when they'd met up to depart. He watched with interest now as her arm disappeared into the bag, clear up to her shoulder.

She rummaged around for a moment before pulling her arm back out with a sigh of resignation and said, "_Accio lente_ books." Instead of zooming out all at once, the books emerged in a steady flow, giving her time to guide their orderly flight to a place on the bookshelves. They seemed to be already organized, by subject first, and then by subtopic, and then by author.

Once the books were on the shelves, she began summoning other things from her bag and, little by little, turning the cabin from a temporary accommodation into more of an indefinite one. He allowed her to do so, knowing she was dissatisfied by the end to their stay at the Cullens's home and needed something to occupy her while she sorted her thoughts out. While she organized the cabin to be more comfortable for them, he went to the kitchen to start dinner.

Ultimately it had been decided to not inform Charlie quite yet what was going on, in order to avoid causing him to panic or having him come to the Cullens demanding to see his daughter, which would stress Bella out. Hermione had been promised that once the baby was born and Bella stabilized, then Charlie could be informed. The Cullens had also agreed that she might tell Charlie that she and Severus had found Bella, alive and more stabilized but still too ill for him to visit, and that they were now working on curing her. Should he ask why they could see her but he couldn't, they'd tell him that they thought that what was wrong with her was something that wouldn't affect witches and wizards, which, had she been truly ill rather than slowly dying from internal injuries and starvation due to the half-vampire child growing in her womb, would have been the case anyway. Most Muggle illnesses had no effect on witches and wizards, just as magical ones did not affect Muggles.

By the time Severus was finished cooking the pasta with chicken and pesto that was to be their dinner and Hermione was finished furnishing and decorating the cabin, she still hadn't said anything. They ate mostly in silence, but when they finished, Hermione looked at him.

"Thank you, Severus, both for cooking and for letting me have time to myself to think things over. I'm still not satisfied with how things went, but I've accepted them for the time being. Now I'm going to work on ways to protect her body from her child," she said. She drained the last bit of wine from her glass and put it down before looking back up at him, tilting her head as she gazed at him in thought.

He raised an eyebrow at her, but before he could begin to really get uncomfortable with her scrutiny and therefore become defensive and snide as he asked her why she was looking at him like that, she spoke again. "Did you know that the tribe leaders from the rainforest told me that a person who is already an Animagus is able to learn more quickly how to access other animal forms than someone who is not an Animagus at all yet? Their methods of teaching you how to shape-shift are still quicker than the methods taught at Hogwarts, even if one isn't an Animagus already, but it seems they've had several guests in the past who were Animagi but could only access one form, and they all learned within a few hours how to access other forms. It took me a few days to learn, but once I had learned, it came so naturally that I was soon able to help teach the tribe youngsters who were just learning to make the changes themselves. They start learning to deliberately use magic much sooner, by the age of five or six, and by the age of ten, they start learning how to shape-shift. Tell me, Severus, did you ever become an Animagus? If not, would you like to learn as they taught me in the rainforest?"

In answer, Severus stood and took a rapid step forward, raising his arms at the same time. Two seconds later, a black hawk sat perched on the half-wall between kitchen and living room. Hermione smiled at him; she pushed back her chair and mimicked his rapid step, raising her arms as he had, and two seconds later, a beautiful brown hawk sat beside him on the wall. He blinked in surprise at her, but after a moment, to his even grater surprise, he found himself turning to her and beginning to preen her feathers for her.

He felt her own surprise in her hesitation to react, but after another moment, she began to return the favor. When their mutual preening session was done, he spread his wings and flapped off the wall, shifting as he landed until he was back in his human form. He looked back at the brown hawk that still sat on the wall. "If you are not…averse…to teaching me," he began quietly, "I would not be averse to learning how to access other forms."

In answer, Hermione landed beside him, also shifting as she landed, and said, a pleased smile on her face, "Come on, then. Let's go outside. We have to be outside for this to work."

He followed her outside, and they sat on the forest floor about ten yards from the cabin. He copied her position, legs crossed, back relaxed though not hunched, and hands resting on the ground on either side of him.

"The key is to realize and accept the fact that ultimately, we, just like the animals we try to become, come from the earth," she said, her voice slipping into a less self-important version of the know-it-all lecturing voice he'd heard from her as a student. "We come from the earth, and someday, no matter what measures we take to preserve our bodies after we die, we will return to the earth. No matter how great our minds make us, we were born and we will die. The first step is to reach into yourself and find the source of your magic. No, it's not a wand," she told him with a shake of her head as she saw his hand twitch to where his wand was stowed. "Magic comes from inside us, it's just channeled from our bodies _through_ a wand. Find the magic inside. Then, once you've found the source of _your_ magic, send your power out and search for the feeling of the magic of the forest and the earth around you. The easiest way I've found to do that is to close your eyes and just listen to the sounds of the forest. Concentrate on the sounds you hear and listen for more as you let everything else fade away. Soon, listening to the forest will become accepting that you are part of the forest, part of the earth that everything comes from."

She watched as he followed her instructions and knew when he'd slipped into the trance that comes with losing oneself in the sounds of the forest: the birds twittering, the squirrels chittering, the living leaves rustling in the wind, and the dead leaves whispering dryly across the forest floor. She let him be for a few moments, allowing herself to examine him while he was unaware of her scrutiny.

Severus Snape was not possessed of the kind of face one would immediately think of upon hearing the word "handsome." Instead, his was the kind of face that one _might_ look at only once and never really pay attention to again, but should a second look occur, the attention was always snared. She'd always had to work to keep herself from getting caught just gazing at his face. The most accurate word she could come up with to describe his appearance was striking. His eyes, as black and sharp as a piece of uncut obsidian, his hair, as dark as the feathers on a raven's breast, his nose, strong and sensitive, his lips, usually mashed into a flat line as he scowled and thus masking their true fullness, and his beautiful hands, long and powerful, all captivated her more completely than any man had before him.

She was suddenly pulled from her musings on his appearance when she realized how it was changing. As he lost himself in listening to the forest, he started taking on features of some of the animals he could hear. As he heard the sound of certain birds, feather patterns started tracing themselves onto his skin so that he appeared to have strange tattoos over his entire body. As he took on a bird's hearing and caught the sounds of quieter animals, he started taking on their features instead, such as the russet-and-white fur of the red fox. He also apparently started getting a taste of some of their instincts as well, because just as his fur had turned a dark brownish-gray and his ears had migrated up his head and turned into the impossibly long ears of a jackrabbit, something he heard startled him badly enough to break his concentration. He jerked where he sat, his eyes snapping open as he gasped, the fur fading from his body and ears returning to normal.

As his eyes focused on her, his disorientation faded quickly. He saw the small smile on her face, as if she were waiting for him to come to some realization she'd had long ago. "It wasn't all in my head, was it?" he asked her, and she confirmed his guess by shaking her head. "First I heard a variety of birds, and then I heard things I've never heard before, things I can't identify."

"Well, the more you listened, the more you opened yourself up, at least subconsciously, to the possibility of turning into these animals. And so, as your mind opened to the possibilities, your body reflected each one. I know you heard different birds, because your skin started taking on a feather pattern, and after that I could tell you were also taking on a bird's hearing, because then you starting taking on features of quieter animals, like a red fox and then a jackrabbit. And then you started to have a taste of their instincts, because just as your ears turned into the ears of a jackrabbit, you startled out of it. What did you hear next that frightened the jackrabbit?" she inquired. As she spoke, her voice was completely non-judgmental; likely she'd seen this sort of thing happen often enough in the rainforest that the sight of a man growing fur or a jackrabbit's ears or feathers was something she was used to.

"It's odd. I thought I heard a pack of wolves. At least, that's what the rabbit was frightened of, but I could have sworn that what I heard was much, much bigger. To a rabbit the difference between a wolf and a rabbit would be like the difference between a horse and a person, but this was more like the difference between an elephant and a person."

Hermione frowned. It made no sense. No wolf got that big. And how had she not heard it? Had she really been so preoccupied by observing his changes that she'd forgotten to use her own more advanced senses?

She shook off her ponderings as she realized that Severus was now looking at her expectantly.

"Well, now that your mind is more open to different possibilities and you can take on different forms involuntarily just as you listen, let's try to control what form you take. First try listening for a specific creature. Try listening for the fox again. You should find now that if you concentrate, your hearing will sharpen enough for you to focus it on the sounds of a fox. Concentrate on listening for the fox, and your body will start to change automatically. As it changes, try to pay attention to how the changes feel and try to envision yourself changing, so that you can later try again without listening for that animal first."

She watched as he obeyed, and found herself marveling at how quickly he picked it up. Likely his work as a spy had honed all of his senses until they were far above average for a human being; it took him no time at all to pinpoint the sounds made by a fox, and apparently even less time for him to memorize how it felt and looked for him to make the change. Just ten minutes and she was looking at a large black fox, sitting up straight with its white-tipped tail curled about its forepaws and its eyes closed.

"Open your eyes, Severus," she murmured, leaping to her feet. Even as his name faded from her lips, she shifted.

He did so and found himself staring at the world through the eyes of a fox. His eyes automatically moved up to where he thought Hermione's face should be, but he was confused when it wasn't there. He caught a movement out of the corner of his eyes, however, and looked just in time to see what his fox instincts knew was the most beautiful vixen, its silver fur tipped in black with black ears, muzzle, and feet, he would ever see in his life pouncing on him.

Just like that, instinct took over and he leaped after the vixen. So began a rousing game of chase that lasted a good twenty minutes. It would have lasted longer for the silver vixen, still young and full of energy, if not for the fact that her more mature companion decided he'd rather continue to explore his new-found shifting abilities rather than continue to play. So he returned to his original human form, still clothed, and sat back on the ground. She came to sit before him, choosing to remain in her fox form.

"So now that I have shifted into the form of a fox simply by envisioning myself doing so, I should be able to do the same with any other form?" he inquired. Of course, he imagined it would take more concentration for those forms he hadn't heard, forms he'd only ever seen.

She yapped in affirmation.

Nodding, he decided to close his eyes and try for a form that didn't live here in Washington, a form he'd seen up close but hadn't even had the chance to touch yet.

Hermione blinked in surprise when, seconds after he closed his eyes, she found herself gazing into the yellow eyes of a black panther, clearly of the same genus as her jaguar. She also found it interesting that of the three forms she'd seen him take on fully so far, all were black.

Caught in the golden gaze of the great black cat before her, the small vixen got to her feet. She shook out her fur, and shifted as she did so, so that she appeared to be shaking herself out of one form and into another; it was perhaps the most artfully done transformation Severus had ever seen, and he found himself transfixed once more.

The two great cats watched each other for a moment before then closing the distance between them to sniff at each other's faces. Then, without quite realizing what they were doing, they were rubbing sinuously against each other. Had she stopped to analyze their behavior, Hermione, who'd taken a recent interest in wildlife and had learned and read as much as she could during her stay in the rainforest, taking one or two rare trips into the nearest South American Muggle cities to find books on local and global wildlife and animal behavior, would have been embarrassed. They were acting like two cats going through courtship rituals, rubbing against each other and spreading their scent all over each other's bodies. But of course, neither of them thought of this. They were caught up in everything that being a cat meant.

The rest of the evening was spent inside, helping Severus explore his new shape-shifting abilities, as well as the other traits that came with it, particularly the enhanced senses; ever since her time in the rainforest, the ability to take on any animal form she chose came with enhanced senses as sharp as some of the animals she transformed into. She could see in the dark as well as a cat, and her sense of smell was even better than a wolf's. Her hearing was nearly as acute as a bat's as well. So it was to be expected that Severus's senses would develop similarly.

Severus quickly found several forms that he liked better than others. He loved the sheer liquid power of the panther form, the fox form suited his natural inclinations toward stealth, and his original hawk form provided a freedom other forms couldn't with its ability to fly. But one of his absolute favorites, he discovered, was one of Hermione's as well. The wolf might not have the same kind of liquid power of the panther or provide the same freedom as the hawk, but it could be nearly as stealthy as the fox, and its stamina was unparalleled. Then there was the fact that it seemed that in this wolf form, he could still perform small acts of magic.

When he first transformed into the wolf, he heard Hermione gasp. He looked up at her to see what was wrong, and saw her coming toward him with a look of awe on her face. She shifted even as she approached him, so that she fell gracefully forward even as she moved, to walk on all fours, and by the time she reached him, he found himself staring in shock at a white wolf that actually seemed to _shine._

_You've found your spirit form, Severus, and it's just like mine!_ she exclaimed, and he was even more shocked to hear her in his head.

_How am I hearing you?_ he wondered._ And what is a spirit form?_

_The spirit form is the form we take that still retains magical abilities other than the ability to shift to another form. Not every witch or wizard has the same abilities in their spirit form as another; for instance, I've discovered that in this form I have a minor control over the elements and the earth. I can't start a fire or make it rain, but I can produce some water from my fur and I can help things grow. You may also have noticed that I shine. I can actually control the intensity of the shine and can light up an enclosed space. You'll probably have different abilities. As for how you can hear me, finding your spirit form opens the mind to be able to speak with others who have their spirit forms, through thought._

As she spoke, she led them into her bedroom, where there was a full-length mirror on one wall. She led him to stand before it, and it was then he could see what she meant by his form and hers being similar.

As with the other forms he'd completed, this one was black. But the difference was that, while his other forms had black fur or feathers that possessed a particular sheen from reflecting whatever light hit him, this one had no such sheen, as if light completely avoided his fur like a shadow. In fact, if not for the gleam of his eyes, nose, and teeth, all of which did reflect light, an outsider might think him the shadow of a wolf instead of a wolf in the flesh.

He was brought back from his musings on his own form by the realization that Hermione was trotting away. She went back outside, her steps bouncy and her tail waving happily. He followed, and as soon as they were both outside, she whirled, her tail wagging and tongue lolling out the side of her mouth in a happy wolf grin. Her canine instincts taking over, she threw herself forward, her forelimbs against the ground while her tail remained in the air, still waving back and forth. It seemed she wanted to play. She jumped a little from one side to the other, trying to entice him to play, and when he simply watched her, she tried to pounce on him. Of course, it didn't work, as he immediately sent her tumbling off her feet. He did the same thing the second time she tried it, so she changed tactics. She sidled around him, and he was just turning his head to follow her with suspicious eyes when he felt a sharp, almost painful tug on his tail. He whirled, jaws snapping with a growl, only to realize that she'd taken off, laughing madly in his head.

As much as Severus might have resisted, the shadow-wolf just couldn't let that go. So he gave chase. It quickly evolved into a game of hide-and-seek, however, when, just as he was catching up to her, she whirled and nipped his neck before dancing away again. She managed it twice more before he decided to change the game and melted away to hide. When she realized he wasn't chasing her anymore, she stopped, head tilted curiously. She turned and loped back a ways to the place she'd last seen him. When she couldn't spot him, she put her nose to work.

As she approached his hiding spot, he waited for the right moment. Then he pounced. Once more, a shocked Hermione was sent tumbling off her feet, this time finding herself on her back, belly up with him standing triumphantly over her. When she tried to roll back onto her feet, he growled. She tried again, only to have the same result. Now worried that he was angry with her, she whined. Carefully, stretching only her neck, she touched her nose to his and licked his muzzle apologetically. He huffed, as if considering whether or not to accept her apology. Then, apparently decided, he moved aside to let her up, nipping her neck as she got to her feet as if to remind her to behave. Together, they moved back toward the cabin.

As the evening and their explorations and experimentations progressed, Severus became more and more enchanted by the young witch he'd accompanied to Washington. He was captivated by so many things he'd never paid attention to while she was in school, as well as things he'd noticed but hadn't considered in the same context. He found himself truly appreciating her utterly brilliant mind while coming to realize at the same time that she had acquired a playfulness, probably in the rainforest, that she hadn't had at Hogwarts. Perhaps her experiences had taught her to enjoy life as much as she could, while she could. Regardless of its origin, that playfulness made him feel lighter himself, even if he wasn't quite as inclined to play as she was.

One other thing in particular that he noticed was a particularly tantalizing scent that lingered about her, a faint smell of roses under-laid by the natural scent of a woman, along with something completely unfamiliar. The tendrils of that unknown aroma curled into his nostrils and seemed to make its way into his bloodstream; he had to deliberately force himself to not think about it lest he lose control over his own body's reactions, and he'd rather not be made, even by his own body, to feel like a lecherous old man.

The morning after she and Severus had met the Cullens for the first time, she came to the kitchen of the cabin to find it deserted. That was odd. From what she recalled from her Hogwarts days, he was an early riser; even as she arrived earlier than most students in the Great Hall for breakfast, he was always already eating there. She'd expected to awaken to the faint sounds he made as he went about preparing for his day.

When she saw the note Severus had left her on the table, she realized she must have been more exhausted by the events of the previous day than she had first thought. Apparently he'd carried out his normal morning routine, but when she hadn't put in an appearance, he'd checked on her to find she was still sound asleep. Knowing there was nothing for her to do of such importance that she needed to wake up at a certain time, he decided to let her be. He'd gone off on some errands and would return for lunch. He'd left her a mug of fresh coffee and a plate of fresh waffles topped with strawberries and chocolate sauce, just the way she liked them, all under a constant warming charm to keep them hot.

She was halfway through her breakfast when she felt a disturbance in the outermost wards around the cabin, the ones that alerted her to an approaching presence. The very next layer of wards, the layer that indicated whether or not said presence was magical, was tripped next, followed a second later by the one that indicated whether said magical presence was dangerous. She knew that should the intruder continue to approach, they would encounter the repellent wards that would hopefully keep them out, and she knew it would take a fairly powerful witch or wizard to even sense the wards, and an even more determined one to attempt to break them, but right now, the knowledge that the present intruder was both magical and dangerous brought Hermione to full awareness.

She abandoned her breakfast and left the cabin. She shifted to her white wolf form, more practical for most areas of the Northern Hemisphere than the jaguar, as soon as she was outside the cabin, and set off in the opposite direction from the intruder, in order to get outside the wards before approaching him. Once she was outside her wards, she circled back around, tracking the intruder with every ounce of stealth she possessed.

She very nearly growled aloud when she saw the Death Eater. It was Malfoy Senior, Draco Malfoy's father, who had miraculously managed to escape the Aurors and had gone on the run. Had he fled here to North America? Or was he here in Forks because he had somehow found her and Severus and was after one of the two of them?

Whatever the case, she wasn't about to let him go free. So she trailed him a ways, waiting for her chance. She needed a moment that would allow her enough time to pounce on him, shift, and disarm him before he could work out what had happened and attack.

Ironically, it was her absorption in watching for the right moment to attack that proved to be the failure of her attempt to capture Malfoy. So focused had she been on sneaking up on Malfoy that she'd failed to consider that these woods might be inhabited by more than just vampires and nonmagical woodland creatures. And she'd failed to notice that her sudden appearance on the outside of her wards had caught the attention of creatures that were neither vampires nor common woodland creatures, and that they in turn were stalking her.

The wolves had been shocked at the abrupt appearance of the white wolf, as if she'd just stepped out of thin air, but they had been able to keep enough control over their shock that they were able to remain undetected by her. She seemed to not be paying as close attention to her surroundings as she ought, as if she were hyper-focusing on one thing. Curious, they decided as a pack to follow her.

The pack was tense as they followed the wolf. She behaved as if she were stalking something, and though whatever she hunted could just be the average doe, the appearance of a wolf in an area the pack had clearly marked as their territory for many miles made them uneasy. She could just as easily be a rogue wolf looking for a fight, or worse, for easy pickings among the area's human residents. Therefore, she was a threat until proven otherwise.

In addition, there was something about the wolf that seemed off. They had little reason to believe that she was anything other than a wolf, but all the same, there was an aura about her that seemed almost supernatural. For one thing, she was so white she would make the untouched snow that blanketed the forest in the winter appear gray, and if the wolves stared hard enough, they could detect a faint shine to her fur that had nothing to do with the sunlight shining on the clearing. It was more like her body shone with a light produced from within. And there was something else about her, and her smell, that called to the males in particular. Even those who were utterly wrapped around the fingers of their human imprints, their life-mates, could feel a primal urge rising within them, though the feeling wasn't nearly as powerful in them as it was in those who were not yet imprinted. Had they been more familiar with the instincts and reproductive physiology of canines other than themselves, they would have realized exactly what it was that called to the canine instincts they did have.

All the males felt this urge, particularly the large russet male, who had so recently spent a period of several months in this form and so was much more easily overtaken by his wolf instincts. He felt an inexplicable need to possess and dominate the white wolf, to make her his for as long as he wanted her. And unlike the others, some of whom were imprinted and all of whom were simply uneasy with the idea of trying to mate the white wolf because it would feel too much like bestiality since they were all technically human, he found himself unable to care much. His wolf instincts were taking over fast, and to the wolf in him, he and the white female were the same species, only he was bigger. Had he retained more of his human instincts, he would have resisted at the very least because he was twice the size of a normal wolf and so was almost twice the size of the white female – who was larger than the average wolf herself – but the wolf only saw the size discrepancy as another advantage that would allow him to dominate her more easily.

So it was with a single-mindedness borne of sexual frustration and a broken heart that he followed his pack as they tailed the white female, and it wasn't long before they all learned just what – or who, rather – her intended prey was.

She was indeed stalking a human, and now there was no more doubt in the minds of the pack that she was a threat and must be stopped. If they couldn't drive her off, they'd have to kill her. But the russet male was determined that he would possess her once before they killed her, or, if they drove her off, then he would follow for a while until he tired of her.

The other pack males might have made more of an effort to dissuade him if not for the fact that they all felt a similar desire, in varying degrees of power, to take and dominate her. Since the Alpha was already happily imprinted and would not be giving in to those urges, there was no one to stand in the way of the russet male, who was second-in-command and not yet imprinted, when he decided to pursue her. They would defer to him.

They watched as the white wolf closed in on her prey, and they knew the moment she decided to attack. When she leapt for her quarry, jaws open and a fierce growl tearing from her chest, the pack also leapt into action.

Hermione found her chance, found an opening that would allow her to catch Malfoy before he could fight, and wasted no more time. She leapt out from her cover, jaws open and a fearsome snarl erupting from them, but to her dismay and fury, before she could even come in contact with the Death Eater, a massive blunt force hit her in the side and knocked her sideways. She was struggling to her feet, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy turn to see what the sudden commotion was about. He quickly figured out that he'd come close to being attacked, and he turned on the spot and vanished just as Hermione lunged forward once more.

Her jaws closed on thin air where the Death Eater had just been; he was gone, and Hermione had missed him. And it was all because of a pack of oversized, meddling _dogs!_

Snarling in fury and frustration, she turned on the wolf that had attacked her, the silver female, and unleashed her rage on said female, leaping for her throat. She didn't manage to rip out the silver female's throat, but did manage to lock her jaws around a large chunk of fur that formed the ruff about the silver wolf's neck, and though the silver wolf was a lot bigger, Hermione's weight was still enough to knock the silver wolf off her feet.

Since the white wolf had targeted the silver female who'd tackled her, the pack males hung back a bit. They wanted to allow the silver female to prove herself in a fight, as she hadn't had the chance yet. She was doing fairly well at first, but it soon became apparent that the white female, though only just over half their size, was vicious in a fight and that the silver female had been unprepared for such fierceness. If the silver female wasn't careful, or if the males didn't intervene, the white female could kill her. When the silver female was thrown once more to the ground, bleeding and in pain, the males realized she was taking too long to get back on her feet. When they saw that the white female was about to go in for the kill, they intervened.

The fight was intense, and loud. Growls and snarls reverberated through the forest as the white wolf fought them fiercely, but finally, the pack was able to overcome her, largely due to the russet male's determination. They were even able to bring her down without killing or even seriously injuring her. It seemed that more than anything, trying to fight so many wolves so much larger than herself had simply exhausted her.

Without much further ado, the pack moved back, some of them nursing injuries, while the russet male moved in, his hungry eyes fixed on the white female. She was his for the taking.

The white female lay there, too exhausted to move, though her mind screamed at her to get up and run, forget fighting, as she watched the big russet male move toward her. Though Hermione's human mind was still present within the wolf's body, the wolf's mind and instincts were also present, blended with her own so that she could think, analyze, and solve problems like a human but with many of the wolf's instincts and behaviorisms. So her wolf instincts and her knowledge of the wolf's social tendencies told her exactly what the russet male was after. And while the wolf might have accepted it as a result of having been defeated, the woman knew that if she didn't get up and run, or shift back to human form, _now,_ then he would get it, too.

Well, there was no way in _hell_ she was going to let herself be raped by a wolf on steroids, and so she fought through the haze of exhaustion the fight had brought her, trying to concentrate and call up the shifting magic. But she realized with growing panic that she couldn't call it up. In her exhaustion, she couldn't shift back for whatever reason. She'd have to run.

Adrenaline pounded through her veins and enabled her to get to her feet. Her quivering muscles had no time to muster what little strength she had left; she had to move, _now._

The russet male was only a few steps away from the white female when she hauled herself to her feet, legs trembling, and took off running, desperation and her small size lending her speed and agility.

But while her smaller size made her faster, the male's longer legs and more powerful muscles enabled him to cover the same distance in the same time. He took off after her with a snarl, his pack following behind him.

Unlike the female, however, the male was not exhausted and injured; she stumbled as she ran, while he devoured the distance between them at an alarming rate.

The white female could feel the sheer desperation and utter terror coursing through her body, and she continued to try and call up the shifting magic that would return her to her true form and enable her to use her wand. Whilst in the form of the white wolf, she had some magical ability, but it was not anything that would save her life. She needed to be able to use her wand.

But still the magic wouldn't come, and she grew more panicked. Finally, exhaustion caused her legs to stop working properly, and she stumbled, her legs giving out beneath her. She fell, sprawled on the forest floor, panting and gasping for breath.

She struggled once more to get up, but only managed to get her legs beneath her body, and then it was too late. The russet male was there, and she fought desperately to get away, but he overpowered her. Simply by sinking his large jaws into the back of her neck, he was able to immobilize her; she couldn't hold back a mix of terrified yelps and snarls as he began to mount her.

Just when she thought she was lost…

* * *

Heheheh, cliffhanger. Gotta keep your attention somehow. So as promised, we have a cameo by Malfoy Sr. and a longer appearance by the pack. Next, who saves Hermione's virtue? And just how heated will things become between her and Severus? Stay tuned!

RP13


	6. The Pack

Oh, another chapter in an hour, what what? Okay, one more chapter after this, and then I think I'll be hitting that brick wall. Maybe the brick wall in this story will enable me to work more on The Elements.

Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine but the cabin. Everything else belongs to the respective authors of Twilight and the Harry Potter books. If any of this actually were mine, Severus would certainly still be alive and Hermione would _not_ be with Ron.

* * *

_Chapter Six_

_~The Pack~_

There was a howl of fury and a blur of black motion, and then the russet male was no longer covering her. Instead, he'd been thrown off, and a new wolf, a muscular black one a little larger than her, stood over her possessively and protectively. He growled deep in his chest in warning as the russet male got to his feet, and let out a harsh snarl when several of the pack tried to step closer. To their shock they found themselves standing fifteen feet behind where they had just been. He stepped so that she lay beneath him, and he leaned forward a little as he faced the other wolves with his tail arched high over his back, ears forward, the ridge of fur along his back raised, and lips curled back to reveal his gleaming teeth. His aggressive stance practically screamed that he would protect the white female with everything he had, and the white female recognized and appreciated the gesture.

Again the russet male, the black Alpha, the silver female, and two or three others tried to approach the black and white pair, but this time they found themselves on the ground, whimpering in pain. Trying to get away from the pain, they all backed up.

What was going on? What were these two wolves? They had to be more than ordinary wolves, for one single ordinary female of her size would have been killed in a fight against so many so much larger than her, and never had they ever encountered anything like what the black male was doing to them. They decided to try and find out more about what was going on before trying to approach them.

The Quileute wolves watched the black and white pair warily. There was something otherworldly about the two that made the pack extremely uneasy. They were not ordinary wolves, that was certain. Not only had the white female managed to hold her own for a while against so many wolves all nearly twice her size, but the black male had done something that put them fifteen feet behind where they'd been standing, against their will, and had caused them intense pain without touching them. Add to that the fact that their coloring seemed off; there was the matter of the white female's unnatural shine, as if her body produced a light from within. The black male, on the other hand, seemed the exact opposite. The Quileute Alpha male was also black, but his fur had a natural gleam that was a reflection of the sunlight. _This_ black male's fur didn't seem to reflect any light at all; if not for the gleam of his black eyes and of his bared teeth, they would have thought he were actually the shadow of a wolf.

Despite the smaller size of the black and white pair, the Quileute wolves regarded them with trepidation, particularly the black one. The shadow-male with eyes unnaturally black and strange abilities they could not explain seemed like a demon, something from nightmares and fantasy realms created by the overly-imaginative.

When the shadow-male with the midnight eyes saw the confusion in the faces of the oversized wolves that had attacked his snow-female, he knew that they wouldn't try it again in a hurry. He had time to ascertain whether or not she was alright before he dealt with them.

He stepped back from his white female to allow her to get to her feet, and he watched her do so with great concern in his black gaze. He touched his nose to hers with a soft whine of encouragement. When she was finally on her feet and standing steadily, he breathed a sigh of relief, his tail waving back and forth in relief and happiness. She was alright.

She greeted him with a soft whine, her tail low but relaxed and wagging gently and her ears lowered away from her face as she sidled up to press against his side, trying to get as close to him as she could. She touched her nose to his and licked his chin, muzzle, and mouth in a show of both deference and gratitude for saving her. He huffed in response, his ears up and tail high but waving back and forth in contentment as he gently washed her face and neck with his tongue, reciprocating her greeting.

Finally, once he was absolutely certain she was alright, he returned to his human body, fully dressed. He would be better able to fend off the wolves should they decide to attack if he could use his wand. Hermione, calmer and able to concentrate more completely on the shifting magic now that she knew she was safe, quickly followed suit, also fully dressed. It had taken the both of them a while to learn how to shift back into their clothes rather than only out of them.

If the pack had been shocked at the abrupt appearance as though from thin air of the white wolf earlier or at the equally abrupt disappearance – also as though into thin air – of the man she'd been stalking, it was nothing to how they felt at the sudden transformation of the white and black wolves into a woman and a man, respectively.

Once they were both human again, ignoring the shocked sounds being made by the wolves, Severus turned to Hermione and hauled her into his arms. "You little _idiot,"_ he said shakily as he pressed kisses to her hair. "Does your stupidity know no bounds? Yesterday you charged into the midst of what you knew was a coven of vampires, and today you get into a fight with a pack of wolves the size of horses! What possessed you to get into a fight with a pack of wolves at all, let alone ones this size?"

"They started it," she protested, her voice slightly muffled against his chest where he held her. "They're the ones who attacked me. I felt a disturbance in the wards and came out in wolf form to investigate, and they attacked me. I suppose they thought I was invading their territory and were just defending it." She chose not to mention the fact that it had actually been Lucius bloody Malfoy that had disturbed the wards.

He lifted his head and stepped away from her just enough so that he could look down into her face, keeping his hands on her shoulders. "And the part where that male was about to mount you and essentially rape you? Was that defending his territory?"

"Actually, yes," she said calmly, though he realized by the faint shudder than ran through her body and the way she still had the front of his robes clenched in her fingers that she was still a bit shaken by that particular close call. "A male wolf will attempt to do that to an invading female to assert his dominance. I suppose that was his way of showing me that I was in their territory and would defer to them if I wanted to keep my life." Before he could respond to that, she stepped forward and buried her face in his chest. "Still, it would have been awful. I'm so glad you showed up when you did."

"So am I, Hermione, so am I," he told her fervently, wrapping his arms around her again and holding her tightly to him for a moment. To think he'd almost lost her without the chance to tell her…

By now the pack members were thoroughly confused. What were these people? And why had the small woman not said anything about the human man she'd been hunting? For that matter, why had she been hunting a human on their territory in the first place?

But before the wolves could do anything, a third voice spoke out.

"Severus? Hermione? Are you alright? I see you've met the Quileute wolves," it said.

The wolves and the two humans looked up at the sound of the voice to find Carlisle and Esme Cullen coming into view. The two vampires were looking back and forth between the two humans and the wolves. Esme carried a large stack of what looked like clothing.

"The Quileute wolves?" Hermione demanded, confused. "Aren't the Quileute a tribal people living on the reservation in La Push?"

Before either Carlisle or Esme could answer, yet another voice sounded, saying, "Sam wants to know what's going on." As Edward appeared, his face more peaceful than the wolves had seen him in a while, he continued. "He wants to know who and what they are," he said, indicating Severus and Hermione, "as well as why they were hunting a person in the pack's territory."

Severus and Hermione looked at him as if he were crazy. But as his words registered with them, Severus turned to fix Hermione with a stern, forbidding expression reminiscent of their days as student and teacher at Hogwarts. It was a look that said she had some serious explaining to do. Meanwhile the pack were all staring from the Cullens to the…whatever they were…with nearly identical expressions of mixed confusion, bewilderment, and suspicion.

"Who the bloody hell is Sam?" Hermione demanded. She very carefully avoided Severus's gaze. She hadn't wanted to bring up Malfoy while he was still upset about her fight with the wolves and being attacked by the russet male. "And the person I was 'hunting' was a Death Eater, the one in whose home I was so _lovingly_ played with and tortured by his clinically insane sister-in-law last June. You remember that part of the story, right?" she said indignantly, her cheeks flushed a little.

"Yes, but _they_ don't know that," Edward responded, inclining his head toward the wolves. "As for Sam, Sam is the black wolf. He's the Alpha." After a moment, he looked at said black wolf and told him, "Look, perhaps you'd better shift back. All of you. They won't hurt you unless you attack them, and attacking them would be a very stupid thing to do. Trust me, I learned that the hard way yesterday. And in their natural human form, they're much more dangerous than as wolves."

The Alpha glanced at the two humans, and then looked back at Edward, questions and suspicion in his eyes. After a moment, Edward said, clearly responding to something the wolf must have been thinking, "Put it this way: after what happened yesterday, it would be very stupid for even a vampire to cross them. You and your pack, though powerful, don't stand any greater chance against them than we do. But I assure you, unless you attack them first, you have nothing to worry about. They are good." He smiled slightly. "The woman, Hermione, is my Bella's cousin."

The wolves all exchanged glances, and seemed to be communicating silently. Hermione and Severus were starting to piece things together, but even as some of the things that had just happened were explained, they realized they had more questions.

Finally something happened. The black male, the russet male, and the silver female all got to their feet and stepped forward. Esme stepped toward them, holding out the clothing, and set it before them. Never taking their eyes off Severus and Hermione, the three wolves suddenly transformed until three people stood in their place. Two were young men, while the third was a woman. All three were naked, but Hermione and Severus were so surprised by the transformation that they didn't even notice.

As the three of them began to dress in the clothing that Esme had set before them, Severus and Hermione finally retained enough presence of mind to turn away and give them some privacy.

When they turned back, the two males were dressed in worn, faded denim shorts while the woman was dressed in a pair of faded denim shorts and a plain white tank top. All three were watching Severus and Hermione with expressions of deepest mistrust, expressions that were reflected on the faces of the witch and wizard.

"All right, what's going on?" the man who'd taken the place of the black wolf finally asked. Though he didn't take his eyes off the man and woman facing him, Sam's question was directed at the three vampires present.

"Hermione and I wish to know the answer to that question ourselves," the man said in response. He spoke slowly, his voice deep and smooth, and the three Quileute youth had the feeling that voice could be used as a weapon.

Edward smirked as he answered them. "Sam, Jacob, Leah, I would like to introduce to you Hermione Granger, my wife's cousin, and Severus Snape, her former teacher and mentor and current traveling companion." Turning to Hermione and Severus, he added, "Sam, Jacob, Leah, and the rest of the wolves here are all members of the Quileute tribe residing on the reservation in La Push." After receiving a nod of confirmation from Sam, he proceeded to briefly explain their ability to transform into wolves as a means of protecting the townspeople from danger. Both Hermione and Severus had the feeling Edward wasn't explaining everything, but they figured he was only telling them as much as the Quileute youth were willing to divulge.

When Edward finished explaining the wolves' story, Sam spoke. "Now we would like to know who the two of you are, why you are on our land, and why you were hunting another person in our territory."

It was Hermione that answered. "As Edward said, my cousin is Bella Swan, or Cullen rather, and Severus is my companion. We're here for my uncle Charlie, her father. He was concerned when he was told she was ill and couldn't see him, so we came to see if we could help." She fell silent after this explanation, which clearly didn't satisfy the three Quileute youth, who all frowned. All three noticed that she hadn't even answered the last question.

"Try again," said the young man who'd taken the place of the russet wolf. "You know our secret. I think we need a better explanation than that." He fought the urge to flinch when the black-robed man leveled an intensely hostile glare at him; he could almost feel the potent rage simmering beneath the surface of the man's façade of indifference. He had one hell of a poker face. In fact, Jacob suspected the man was deliberately allowing some of his hostility to show, as a warning.

The young woman, however – Bella's cousin – was making absolutely no effort whatsoever to hide her feelings. Rather it appeared as though she had put them aside for the time being while waiting for answers, but now that it was her and her companion's turn to give answers, it was clear her irritation was returning.

It occurred to him that even though she was out of her wolf form, he still felt that same pull – muted now but still present – that had earlier urged him and all his male pack-mates to try and mate her as a wolf. So naturally, being a red-blooded male with the same urges as any other, he took another, much more leisurely and appreciative look at her. But he wasn't long into his appreciation of her petite, curvaceous frame – no more than a couple of seconds – when the black-robed man shifted, moving closer to her.

Jacob's attention was diverted to him, and he nearly flinched again when he caught the man's black glare. When he recalled how, as the black wolf, the man had stood so possessively and protectively over the white wolf Bella's cousin had been, he could have kicked himself.

_Fuck,_ he thought to himself. There could only be one reason the man was so possessive and protective of her. He felt nauseated to realize that as a wolf he'd tried to steal another male's mate, never mind that he'd only been giving in to the wolf's instinct, having become used to obeying said instincts during his months running from his problems in his wolf form. _I tried to rape her!_ he realized in horror. _A wolf half my size who was too tired from the fight to even fight back! What the hell is wrong with me? Did the thing with Bella mess me up so bad I'd resort to rape just to get some?_

Instead of answering right away, Severus and Hermione looked at each other.

_What should we tell them?_ Hermione asked him silently.

_As little as we can get away with. Obviously they know we're more than human since they've seen us shift, but since they don't seem to have divulged all their secrets, I don't see why we should do the same,_ he answered.

She nodded, and then turned back to the three natives who were watching them stoically, their faces giving little of their true thoughts away. "All right, then. We are a witch and wizard, part of a secret magical community in Great Britain, which is one of many such communities all over the world. For various reasons, we keep our identities secret from non-magical folk and interfere in their lives as little as possible. Severus and I really are here for my uncle Charlie, who really was concerned about Bella. I suppose you know about the Cullens and the real reason Bella is being kept away from Charlie?" she asked them. When they all nodded – she noted the expressions of distaste on Sam's and Leah's faces and the anger on Jacob's, and wondered at the last – she continued. "We knew there had to be more going on than just the fact that Bella was sick, so I decided to see if I could track her down. I found out where the Cullens lived and when I went to find her, I found out about the Cullens."

"But how did you even know what they are?" Leah asked. "Did they tell you?"

Hermione shook her head. "Vampires are known to the magical community. Tens of centuries ago, perhaps two thousand years or so, vampires did not bother much with hiding. There were fewer then, of course, but they existed more in the open than they do now. But most humans, while they were more certain of the existence of vampires than they are now, had no idea how to recognize them. Witches and wizards were the ones to begin recognizing the signs of vampirism in a person. So we used our magic to protect ourselves and non-magic folk, or Muggles as we call them. Our magic turned out to be one of the few things capable of killing a vampire, the other being the strength of a werewolf. But vampires, with their own heightened senses, began in turn to be able to instinctively sense a witch or wizard's magical aura, and they started instinctively avoiding us, just as humans instinctively avoid vampires. So in general, vampires are no more aware of our existence than humans are of vampires. The few vampires that are aware of the magical world are magically bound to secrecy, keeping the knowledge of us even from other vampires. But the magical community never lost its awareness of vampires. We know what they are the moment we see them. But there are few decent vampires, and even fewer that feed purely on animal blood, so that until I met the Cullens yesterday, I didn't even know they could be distinguished from other vampires by eye color."

"But what about the man you tried to attack earlier? The man with the blonde hair? Why did you attack him?" Sam asked. According to Edward, the witch and wizard were good people. Why, then, would she attack someone without warning?

She frowned, debating how much to tell them. Finally she decided to see how little she could get away with explaining. "He was a dark wizard. There is a set of protective enchantments we put up that alert us when someone approaches us, and one of the enchantments tells us whether or not the person is a witch or wizard. Another lets us know whether the person is a danger to us. Both wards set off alarms when he disturbed them as he passed through them."

"But why attack him instead of just confronting him?" Sam persisted, frowning. "You attacked him as if you have something personal against him."

Hermione lost her patience. Apparently he couldn't just let it go. A small part of her recognized that he was just trying to protect his people and ensure that neither she nor her companion would prove to be a danger to anyone passing through their territory, but it felt to her as if he were demanding to know all her secrets while refusing to divulge all of his.

"Because I do!" she shouted. Furious tears sprang to her eyes at the injustice of it all, particularly at not having her privacy respected and at having to relive such personal, painful memories. "Last Spring I was tortured in his living room by his evil, clinically insane sister-in-law while he watched, and two years before that the both of them tried to kill me and my friends while we were trying to save the life of my best friend's godfather! They were two of the most devoted followers of one of the most powerful evil wizards in history, a wizard who would have made Hitler look like a schoolyard bully and whose evil would have spread to the rest of the continents. The monster I attacked somehow managed to escape an elite group of magical law enforcers, and I attacked him with the intent to capture him and finally have him carted off to prison where he belongs. Only _you_ lot interfered and he got away!"

She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath to calm herself, and then continued in a quieter tone. "He and his sister-in-law were the stuff of nightmares. They both hinged their entire lives on the belief that those of us born to non-magical families, Muggle-borns, are inferior and should be exterminated, much as Hitler and the Nazis believed of the Jews and various other groups. Play-time for them was torturing Muggle-borns. Imagine that one word can cause the most intense pain you will ever feel in your life to rip through your entire body. You're not aware of anything else, only the pain, the fire consuming every nerve in your body. The longer you're under the curse, the more danger you're in of never recovering. That one word can leave people's minds so broken no magic can bring them back. I've been under that curse. And imagine that a knife can be cursed so that when it's used on you, when it cuts into your skin, it leaves scars that, even when they have healed, still twinge with pain every now and then, and that can't be concealed by any magic _or_ with make-up."

She ripped her sleeve up her left forearm, exposing the words Bellatrix Lestrange had carved into her skin, as she stormed up to the three of them and brandished her forearm to show them the ugly words. "These mark me as having tainted blood. They mark me as inferior in the eyes of bigoted, hateful pureblood supremacists. And they will _never_ go away." Her eyes blazed then. "So yes, I'd say I damn well _do_ have something personal against him, and all I can say is, if I find him here, even in your territory, stay the fuck out of my way."

Severus knew the story already, but something in her tone and in her eyes gave him pause. He looked more closely at her as she turned and marched back to him and saw something deep in her gaze, something that hinted at a memory of terrible fear. He frowned as he suddenly recalled something Lucius Malfoy had once said to him in a conversation regarding the goings-on at Hogwarts and the Golden Trio.

Severus had made a snarky comment about the insufferable know-it-all Granger, and Lucius had responded with a lusty chuckle and a leer and said, "Ah, yes, the mouthy little witch who's always getting the better of Draco. I could think of several infinitely better uses for that mouth than spouting off information from a textbook. Imagine the Precious Gryffindor Princess on her knees with her mouth open and a good thick cock stuffed down her throat! Wouldn't that shut her up good! Now there's one mudblood I wouldn't mind a rough little romp with. That little prude's pussy is probably tighter than the Dark Lord's grip on his wand!"

Now, with the memory of that conversation and the look currently in Hermione's eyes in mind, he wondered if perhaps Bellatrix Lestrange wasn't the only one involved in her torture. If Lucius Malfoy had laid one bloody finger on her body, he was dead, as dead as his sister-in-law.

_What did he do to you, Hermione?_ he asked her now, his voice dark and dangerous in her mind. He was enraged.

Hermione looked at him soberly. _It's not what he did, but what he almost did. Harry, Ron, and Dobby couldn't save me from Bellatrix Lestrange's torture, but at least they got there before Malfoy could finish enjoying his turn. And his brand of torture would have been infinitely worse. So far I've remained a virgin by choice. He would have taken that choice away from me, and he came so close. Harry, Ron, and Dobby got to me just barely in time._ To Severus's surprise, her eyes suddenly took on a rather mischievous sparkle. _They caught him literally with his pants around his ankles. I'll never forget the look on his face. It was priceless._

Whether she'd meant it to or not, her suddenly humorous take on the situation was enough to divert his attention away from the subject of her almost-rape just long enough for them to become aware of the horrified looks on the faces of the three wolves-turned-humans.

The clearing was utterly silent. The three natives were staring at the witch and wizard in abject horror. But the silence didn't last long. Soon, the Alpha male was firing questions at them without waiting for answers, but as the other two kept interjecting with their own questions, Hermione and Severus couldn't keep up.

"Enough!" Severus barked, having quickly lost his patience. Beside him, Hermione, who was shorter of temper than she had once been and who didn't appreciate verbal assaults any more than the physical ones the Cullens had learned were a mistake yesterday, was glaring at them in silence, her arms folded across her chest. The mulish set to her jaw and the militant expression on her face told Severus that she was about to be difficult. Knowing her, he knew she'd most likely refuse to answer the three natives' questions until they were prepared to be more patient and polite.

"If it is truly of vital importance for you to know _everything_ concerning our lives as members of the Wizarding World," he began in his best Professor Snape voice, his slow drawl heavy on the cold sarcasm that had made more than twenty years' worth of students tremble before him, "then Hermione and I will oblige you, on the condition that you reciprocate. While she and I realize that we are visitors to an area that is under the protection of yourselves and the Cullens, you must also realize that we are here concerning matters that are much more Hermione's business than yours, given that she is here regarding the well-being of two of the only remaining family members she has left.

"In addition, while we realize you were only trying to ensure the safety of the townspeople, had you not interfered with Hermione's pursuit of Lucius Malfoy, the townspeople would in fact be much safer than they are with him at large. He is not a wizard who is particularly inclined to leave Muggles alone. He believes them to be inferior to wizards, particularly so-called pure-blooded wizards such as himself, and given that he has had no qualms in the past about torturing a witch because of the purity of her blood, you may be sure that he will not think twice about making similar sport of anyone who does not possess magical abilities and is unfortunate enough to cross his path. In order to facilitate his capture, we will explain the Wizarding World in greater detail to you so that you may be on your guard should he return, but in turn we will expect you to reciprocate and explain the nature of your transformations, as well as the nature of your affiliations with the Cullen family and Hermione's cousin Isabella. It may very well turn out that Hermione and I are able to help solve any problems that may exist."

After a moment's pause, the three Quileute youth agreed and shifted back into their wolf forms in order to confer with their packmates, none of whom had shifted out of their own canine bodies. Finally, Sam, Jacob, and Leah turned back to face Hermione, Severus, and the three Cullens, who had come to stand beside the witch and wizard. However, this time they didn't return to their human forms.

Edward spoke next. "Sam says the pack has agreed to tell you their full story, particular-ly in regards to their ties with my family and Bella, if you will agree to tell them more about the Wizarding World, especially as it concerns the pack and the Forks area," he said. "He has also requested the presence of my family and Bella to provide affirmation of certain facts, as well as to provide more information regarding the things which are less clear to them."

Hermione glanced at Severus. "That seems fair, I suppose," she said slowly. Severus detected the note of faint reluctance in her tone and knew it was because she was an intensely private person who didn't like to dwell on her involvement in the war but was now about to relive painful memories for the second time in as many days. He was beginning to think that if it caused her this much pain, they should never have come to Forks. Let Charlie and Bella solve their own problems.

Severus agreed as well, and then addressed both Carlisle and Sam. "Mr. Uley, Carlisle. If Bella's presence has been requested, then we will have no choice but to gather at the Cullen residence as it would be most unwise to attempt to move her. That being said, Hermione and I will be able to expand whichever room you wish in order to accommodate the wolves without their having to revert to human form."

The wolves all appeared to frown before turning to look at each other and converse silently amongst themselves. Unbeknownst to them, Edward was not the only one outside the pack who could hear their discussion; Severus was listening as well, though he did not let on that he could.

Finally the three pack leaders turned back to face the witch and wizard, who remained silent, choosing to allow Edward to translate for everyone. "Sam says that though they would rather not have the meeting on Cullen territory, he would prefer for Bella and my family to be present and they recognize that Bella should not be moved. Therefore, Sam, Jacob, and Leah will be the only three participating in the meeting in their human forms. The rest of the pack will remain as they are."

"Very well," Severus replied, inclining his head toward the wolves.

Carlisle spoke next. "Does anyone object to waiting until tomorrow night for the meeting? Some of our family have gone hunting and won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

The wolves shook their heads immediately while Severus and Hermione looked at each other, considering. This would give them a little time to gather resources in order to begin researching ways to help Bella as well as searching for information on half-vampires.

"Tomorrow evening, then," Hermione said. "We'll be there at eight." She turned to go back to the little cabin, but paused and turned back to address the wolves.

"If you see Malfoy or anyone else dressed similarly to him, whatever you do, _don't_ confront them. Come here. The wards will let one of us know that you're here and we'll let you in. There's a reason I didn't want to confront him head-on if I could avoid it. He'll be on the look-out for any kind of animal on his trail now, and that kind of ambush won't work anymore. Probably he'll also have told any allies of his about what happened. And you can't protect your people if you're dead." She turned then and to the wolves' astonishment, she leapt forward, shifting in mid-leap into the form of a small tabby cat before trotting away and vanishing seemingly into thin air.

Severus did not follow immediately. Instead, he looked grimly at all the wolves, his gaze lingering most often on the russet male called Jacob. "I understand that what occurred just before I appeared and what would have taken place had I not arrived when I did was a product of a combination of things, including a need to protect your people, pure canine instinct, and a reaction to an unfamiliar magical pull," he began.

Then his black eyes hardened. "_But,"_ he hissed, and there was suddenly a feeling of darkness about him that made the wolves exceedingly uneasy, "should _any_ of you ever so much as _think_ about touching Hermione again, I guarantee you will not enjoy the consequences. And believe me, I will know if you think it. Edward is not the only being who can read minds. For twenty years I played the role of double agent, pretending to work for one master while really serving another. For several years not even Hermione was certain of which side I was on. And to maintain appearances on both sides, I have tortured and killed in the name of one, taught and protected in the name of the other. Do not make the mistake of thinking I am not still dangerous. At the culmination of the war when I showed where my true loyalties lay, Hermione saved my life at the risk of her own, and I owe her my life. I do not take such debts lightly. Should she come to harm at the hands of anyone, be they wizard, wolf, vampire, or human, I will not be kind." He paused, his gaze sweeping their faces briefly, and added, "We will see you tomorrow evening." With that, he turned away in a billow of black robes. Seconds later he, as had Hermione, vanished seemingly into thin air.

Moments later, Embry spoke. _Is he serious?_ he asked tentatively, sounding uncertain and slightly awed.

_Dude, I think he is,_ Quil responded. His voice was also uncertain and uncharacteristically serious.

_Can anybody blame him, though?_ Seth asked reasonably. The other wolves turned to stare at him incredulously. _What? Didn't it seem to anyone else like he was treating her like she was his imprint? Didn't you see how they greeted each other when he realized she was okay and she got up?_

"The best term for it would be mates, I think," Edward said. The wolves turned to him in surprise, as if they'd forgotten he, Carlisle, and Esme were still there. "My family…met… Severus and Hermione yesterday, and they explained a lot about the Wizarding World. Probably everything they'll tell you tomorrow, as long as you're up front about all your secrets as well. One kind of magic they explained at one point was the magic of shape-shifting as it pertains to them. Unlike most witches and wizards, who only know how to access the form of one animal, like yourselves, they know how to access the form of any animal in existence. They said that being so connected to this magic has altered some of their instincts and human abilities. Their senses are heightened, for one thing, so that they can hear, smell, and see as well as you or I can. Their animal instincts are also stronger, especially in regards to mating. And though they didn't say as much and I can't read either of their minds, I think, and Jasper agrees since he's picked up on their emotions regarding each other, that instead of just the kind of romantic relationship most people have, theirs also involves much more animal instinct, so that they are much more like a pair of life-mates in the animal kingdom…or like a pair of imprints." He nodded in their direction, his gaze briefly meeting Sam's, then Jared's, Paul's, and Quil's. "Jasper doesn't think either of them is capable any longer of leaving the other or that either of them would ever be able to fall in love again should the other die."

The wolves mulled over this. It sounded very much indeed like imprinting, and they guessed that magic played a big part in that.

Now that their questions regarding Hermione and Mr. Snape's relationship – the man was just too formidable for them to think of by his first name – had been more or less addressed, their thoughts returned to wondering what they would be told at the meeting the next night. Rather, the thoughts of some of the older ones did. The more juvenile ones, however, Quil and Embry included, despite their closeness to Jacob in age, were still contemplating how uneasy the aura of darkness about the wizard made them.

_Dude is downright scary,_ Embry thought as he replayed Mr. Snape's words in his head. _"Do not make the mistake of thinking I am not still dangerous," _he had said.

They heard a chuckle, and the wolves all turned to look at Edward, who said, smiling, "Severus has been a teacher for twenty years at the wizarding school Hermione just graduated from, and from which he also graduated at the age of seventeen. He was by far both the most hated and the most misunderstood professor the school had seen in a long time, and it all has to do with his tendency to shut people out and push them away. Up until very recently, within the last several months, in fact, life has not been very kind to him. For his own reasons, he has perfected an image of himself that mostly keeps people away. A lot of that image has to do with twenty years of teaching adolescents and learning how to discipline them effectively. Hermione, with her own heart of gold and her tendency to be mule-stubborn, is one of the only people who ever deliberately ignored the image he constantly puts off and managed to work her way into his heart. My family and I understand quite clearly how well she was able to manage that; that was all the proof we needed that she is in fact Bella's cousin."

A snort was heard from Jacob, who rolled his eyes as if to say he knew where Edward was coming from. Edward inclined his head toward the russet wolf in agreement. The entire pack was aware of how stubborn Bella could be, especially in regards to her insistence upon both the Cullens and the wolves being part of her life.

As if the mention of Bella were some sort of reminder, Edward chose that moment to bid them goodbye, saying that he needed to get back to her. Carlisle and Esme also bade them goodbye, saying they'd see them the next night, and the three vampires vanished. The wolves were left with dozens of questions and the sense that things had just gotten ten times more complicated.

They were on tenterhooks as it was, not knowing how the drama involving Bella, Edward, and their unborn half-vampire offspring was going to play out; they were still disinclined to let the child live, but they had been convinced for now that when the time came, the Cullens would be able to surgically deliver the demon-child without killing Bella. So for now they didn't have to worry about killing Bella in order to kill the demon.

But now with the involvement of a witch and wizard whom the Cullens insisted even vampires would be foolish to attack, things had just gotten more difficult, especially considering the witch was related to Bella. No doubt she would protect her cousin to the death, and if vampires could not escape an encounter against a witch or wizard unscathed, then the wolves didn't stand much chance. And none of them wanted to even think about facing Severus Snape. But on the other hand, perhaps she would be inclined to side with them in regards to the fate of the demon-child; it didn't sound like witches and wizards had a favorable view of vampires in general.

And now, to top it all off, in order to learn more about the witch and wizard and their world, they would have to venture into the territory of their only natural enemy, the very reason their abilities existed. They were going to have to be extremely careful; there was no way the entire pack was going to place themselves at the mercy of a coven of vampires as well as a witch and wizard.

And so, with much to contemplate and much to plan, the wolves decided to run a quick perimeter of their territory, with the small witch's words regarding the dark wizard she'd been hunting – what had she called him? Malfoy? – still echoing in their minds. With no trace of anything out of the ordinary, they returned to La Push to discuss the day's events with the tribe's elders.

Severus walked up to the front door of the little cabin, feeling the wards he and Hermione had set about the place bending around him to let him pass. He went inside to find Hermione still in her cat form, perched on the back of the living room sofa along with Crookshanks. She and her fluffy orange familiar were in the process of grooming each other when Severus entered.

He quirked his eyebrow at them before aiming a scowl at Crookshanks as if to tell him to get the hell out. He wanted a word with Hermione.

Crookshanks, by now quite familiar with the taciturn ways of his mistress's man friend, took his time about complying with Severus's wishes. He stretched luxuriously first before rubbing his cheek against Hermione's before casually leaping first to the seat cushions of the sofa and then to the ground, and then he ambled from the room, bottlebrush tail held high, nose in the air as if to tell Severus to stuff it.

Severus waited until the one cat was gone before turning to the other, whose eyes were now on him. He crossed his arms and looked at her stoically, waiting with one eyebrow quirked. She tried to wait him out, meeting his gaze expectantly with an air of innocence, but when he made no move, she rolled her eyes with an annoyed meow and got to her feet. She, too, leapt off the couch, transforming once again in mid-leap until she stood before him in her human form.

"Well, what is it?" she demanded, looking up at him.

"Would you care to explain why you didn't feel the need to tell me immediately that it was Lucius bloody Malfoy you were hunting?" he asked her, his tone at its silkiest and most forbidding. "Or, for that matter, why you tried to confront him at all rather than coming to find me or _staying in the cabin?_ You know he wouldn't have made it through the wards, you would have been safer here."

"Because I didn't know who it was," she argued. "At first I only came out to see who was disturbing the wards. I wasn't stupid enough to come out human; I was in wolf form even before leaving the wards. When I saw it was Malfoy I knew he was up to no good, and knew he could only be searching for you or me. I also knew if he kept moving he could find the Cullens, or the Muggles in town. I had to keep that from happening. I also knew if I took the time to find you we could lose him."

He scowled blackly. "And it didn't occur to you that it could have been a trap, that he could have known you or I were near and intended to draw us out and into a fight?" he demanded. "You remember yourself how your year on the run changed you! Convicts on the run from the law only become more dangerous! He could have killed you, Hermione!" he thundered.

"But he didn't even know I was there," she replied, keeping her voice even. She knew that if she started to raise her voice, things would go downhill very quickly. "I observed him for a great deal of time before I attacked. I think all this time without any direction from a leader he's not thinking things through and is getting careless."

But this, apparently, was the wrong thing to say. "Careless! _He_ was getting careless?! Hermione Granger, careless is confronting a wizard you know to be a desperate, lawless, cold-blooded killer! Careless from him would be firing the Killing Curse first and asking questions later, you foolish woman!" He stormed up to her and seized her by the upper arms, giving her a little shake. "Careless is being so intent in your pursuit of Malfoy that you are oblivious to your surroundings, thus being caught off-guard by a pack of oversized dogs and nearly killed by the lot of them if Malfoy didn't get you first, not to mention nearly raped by one of them."

Hermione suddenly realized how incredibly close he was, and in the next instant, as his intense gaze collided with and burned into hers, he seemed to realize it too. He stepped further into her, until their bodies were flush against each other, and when he spoke, he was quieter, though no less intense.

"I only just tracked you down a few days ago after weeks of searching. You saved my life and gave me something to live for. I am not about to let you get yourself killed and take it away from me," he told her, his dark voice roughening with that last sentence until it was nearly a growl.

Eyes wide in surprise, she opened her mouth to speak but was only able to get out a startled "Wha-?" before his lips were suddenly upon hers.

The kiss took her senses by storm; her knees gave out and he wrapped both arms around her and lifted her off her feet. All she could do was hang there in his arms and cling helplessly to him, her hands clutching his shirt for dear life as he devoured her mouth with his. Her head began to spin and her lips parted in a gasp for air, allowing him to deepen the kiss as his tongue slid between her lips to plunder her mouth and draw her own tongue into a duel, which of course only made her head spin more madly. It was all she could do to keep up with him.

After what seemed like both an age and no time at all, he finally gentled the kiss, his tongue retreating from her thoroughly ravished mouth as he eased the pressure of his lips until he was sipping kisses from her lips rather than devouring them like a man starved.

When he finally broke the kiss, he only pulled away enough to allow them both to breathe. He rested his forehead against hers as they both fought for air. At the same time, he maneuvered them backwards toward the sofa, scooping her up so that instead of her just hanging in his arms, he held her in a fireman's hold so that he could arrange her across his lap when he sat down.

"Where did that come from?" she breathed, her eyes closed. He might have feared her words to be a rejection, but the way she tucked her head under his chin and still clutched handfuls of his shirt dispelled that fear.

"I've wanted to do that for days. Since I first found you in the rainforest, actually," he responded, wrapping his arms securely about her.

"What stopped you before now?"

"Fear," he answered honestly. "I worried you would reject me. Who would want a man twenty years older than them, bitter and sarcastic, incapable of kindness, chasing after them?"

She lifted her head and shifted in his arms. For a moment, he thought she would pull away, but she merely arranged herself so that she straddled his lap – _Words and her face,_ he chanted in his head, _focus on her words and her face, not where she is sitting!_ – and faced him. She still didn't release his shirt.

"I would," she declared. "Because while you may be bitter and sarcastic and may _think_ you're incapable of kindness, I know differently. You came looking for me when you learned of trouble with my uncle, you allowed me to bring my foul-tempered cat on a trip with us, and you hold me at night when I have nightmares. That's besides all the sacrifices you made for Harry, Ron, and me, as well as everyone else against Voldemort without us knowing, even if you only did it for the sake of Lily Potter. The fact is, Severus, you are a good man. You are a good man who has done bad things for some damn good reasons, and it's not fair how unkind your life has been." She smiled then, and added, "And I for one happen to like your sarcasm. I find it refreshing. You don't know how many times I've wanted to laugh at some of the insults you've been able to come up with."

She wrapped her arms around his neck then and held him, saying, "So really, Severus, you have nothing to fear. In fact, now that you've kissed me, I'm rather afraid you're stuck with me. If you've been wanting to kiss me for the past few days, I've been wanting to kiss you for the past couple of years. I developed a crush on you starting in sixth year, you know. Of course, everyone thinking you'd murdered Professor Dumbledore in cold blood and were really in league with Voldemort put a bit of a damper on that. That broke my heart. So imagine how elated I was when we all found out you really were loyal to Dumbledore all along."

She paused for a moment, thinking, and then spoke again. "And I'll tell you something else -" she began, but he suddenly cut her off.

"Do you _ever_ stop talking?" he asked her, rolling his eyes and sounding only partly exasperated and partly amused.

She opened her mouth again, but before she could get anything out, his mouth was on hers again in a bid to shut her up.

This time, the kiss was much more leisurely than before. Severus took his time, gently smoothing his lips over hers in a caress designed not to take her senses by storm but to show her in no uncertain terms his affection and desire. As he kissed her, his large, strong hands drifted up to frame her rib cage and his thumbs traced slow circles on the sides of her breasts. He did his best to keep his focus on the kiss rather than the increasingly uncomfortable place she was sitting, but she wasn't making that easy. She moaned against his mouth and shifted in his lap, inadvertently grinding that warm place between her thighs against the bulge in his trousers as she tried to press closer. He groaned against her lips as his considerable length grew in size and hardened against her.

She sucked in a gasp and tore her lips from his. Her sparkling brown eyes flew open and found his; he met her gaze, and though neither of them spoke, something seemed to pass between them. Understanding suddenly lit her eyes, and without taking them from his, she slowly and deliberately ground herself against his erection again.

He groaned again, and his fingers tightened around her ribs. "If you don't stop that, witch, I can't promise you I will be able to control myself," he warned her, his dark chocolate voice laden with erotic promise.

Just the sound of it sent bolts of heat and moisture shooting straight to that place between her legs that she'd just been rubbing against him. She felt her face flush, but the understanding of what she was doing to him made her bold as she held his gaze with hers and said, "What if I don't want you to control yourself? What if I want to know you in the most intimate sense of the word? What if I want to show you what you do to me, and for you to show me what I do to you?" Her voice sounded odd to her own ears, suddenly lower than it usually was, and with a husky note she knew it normally didn't have.

"You don't know what you're asking," he responded. His voice sounded slightly pained for a moment, but then it retained the warning tone it had held a moment ago. "I am not an easy lover. I have never taken a woman by force, but neither have I ever 'made love,' and I don't 'shag.' Such a word implies a casual encounter where both parties are completely detached. I take, or I fuck. Either way, even in my one-time encounters, both parties are invested in each other's pleasure. I have never had a complaint, but I have been told on several occasions that I am too much. Many of my lovers have been left scarcely able to walk the next morning. You don't deserve that. You deserve someone who will treat you as a priceless treasure, who will have the patience to make love to you."

She scowled. "Oh, yes, and this is the perfect way to go about convincing me of that – give me the best kiss of my life and then tell me I deserve better. Why kiss me in the first place then?"

Then, as if to deliberately ignore his words, she ground herself against him a third time. "What makes you think I couldn't handle you? You know everything I've been through this year, the things I've withstood to help win the war. I don't want a lover who will treat me as if I'm going to break. Bellatrix Lestrange tried so hard to break me with the Cruciatus Curse and couldn't, and she _so_ wanted to. I don't think you will break me with sex when you clearly don't want to. I'm not going to run if things get a little rough and tumble at times. Or has my tendency to do things like charge into a room full of known vampires or get into fights with wolves the size of horses taught you nothing?" That last question was spoken while she slowly gyrated her hips, her hands braced on his shoulders to give her leverage while she locked her eyes on his. She had the pleasure of seeing his pupils dilate and his nose flare, though he gave no other sign that what she was doing affected him.

"More than that, I think you and I would both get bored with a relationship that's all rainbows and butterflies. A little bit of roughness can be good. It reminds us that we're lucky to be able to feel. And don't you think for a second that if things get a little rough I'm going think you're abusive. You know that if I thought you were abusive I never would have asked you to come to Forks with me, and more than that, you know that if I thought you were abusive, I'd pull your testicles out through your arse and then shove them down your throat and make you swallow them if you laid a hand on me. Shape-shifting wasn't the only magic I learned in the rainforest."

With that, she pressed her lips to his in a kiss every bit as passionate as the one he'd given her the first time. At first he intended to resist, but she seemed to sense that, and when she nipped his lower lip more sharply than he would have expected of her, he forgot every reason he had for his reluctance.

He growled low in response and wrapped one arm securely about her back as he moved suddenly, swinging her beneath him as he lay them both down on the sofa. His tongue plunged into her mouth to battle with hers for dominance while his hands pried hers from his shirt and pinned them to the sofa cushions above her head. He held the rest of his body suspended over hers, out of her reach, and he chuckled tauntingly when she tried to arch her body upward and press it against his.

She managed to raise one leg and hook it around his hips, bringing him back down to her, so he allowed his body to settle between her thighs but removed his lips from hers. Instead, his mouth traveled across her jaw to attack her neck starting at the pulse point just below her ear and just behind the corner of her jaw. After a moment of suckling kisses and gentle nips there, he moved lower, to the junction of her neck and shoulder, where his kisses became more fervent and the nips less gentle. At one point, he bit the side of her neck sharply enough to leave a mark there, making her cry out.

His lips trailed lower, across her chest, but then he encountered the lace of her brown tank top that impeded any further contact with her skin. He finally had to release her hands in order to bring his own to the hem of her tank top. Knowing what he wanted, she lifted her upper torso just enough for him to haul her tank top up and off her body, and he tossed it away, not knowing or caring where it landed. Her bra abruptly shared a similar fate, leaving her lush, beautiful breasts bared to his burning eyes and hungry lips.

He stared at them in awe for a moment before lowering his head to reverently take one stiff nipple between his lips, and when he began to suck on it, all her limbs tightened about his body as she let out a strangled noise that was half gasp and half cry. The fingers of both her hands speared through his hair and clutched his head to her breast, while the fingers of one of his hands toyed with the nipple he wasn't feasting on with his mouth.

She was so focused on the sensations brought to her by his mouth that she wasn't paying any attention to what his free hand was doing as it trailed its way down her torso and to the waistband of her jeans. It wasn't until she felt a tugging at her hips that she realized he had unbuttoned her jeans and was attempting to pull them off her with one hand. She lifted her hips to help him and he managed to pull them down about halfway; she let out a whimper of protest when he lifted his head, releasing her nipple from his mouth, in order to pull them and her knickers completely off.

Her body was now completely bared to his heated gaze. He moved to his knees so he could see all of her, and stared at her laid out, body naked and soul bared, before him like a feast before a man starving.

Severus found he couldn't breathe as he looked at her. She was so beautiful, in such an unconventional way. He knew she thought her thick hair was a pain sometimes with its tendency towards untamable wildness, but her hair captivated him. To his eyes, it alluded to the untamable wildness within her soul that she normally kept carefully hidden and that mostly only emerged when her emotions got the better of her. He knew she sometimes cursed her lack of height, but he loved her petite body. It might sound egotistical of him to say, but her petite stature made him feel all the more masculine, as if she'd been made for him to protect. And then, of course, there was the fact that it seemed the saying "dynamite comes in small packages" seemed to have been coined with her in mind. She had a small body but a great mind, a heart of gold, and a will of steel.

She wasn't waifishly thin as was the latest style for young witches; in fact, she was rather curvy, with mouth-watering proportions in his opinion. He liked a woman whose breasts and buttocks would fill his sizable hands, and better, her waist was nipped in enough that her hips flared out.

Severus looked at her so long Hermione began to feel self-conscious and had to fight the urge to cover herself. Finally she couldn't take it any longer and sat up. She reached out to him hesitantly, touching his cheek.

"Severus…please," she said to him.

* * *

Ooh, getting a bit hot now, isn't it? Questions, comments, concerns? Talk to me.

RP13


	7. Lovers

Another update already? What madness is this? Oh, wait, it's the kind where I already have most of the content of these chapters written. Right. Anyway, so this chapter is most _definitely _rated M. EMMM. For MMMMMature audiences only, please. Seriously. It's intense. This chapter is pure smut. Really, I'm sure it's almost porn-worthy. Make sure you read in a well-ventilated area and don't overheat.

Disclaimer: Nothing but nothing in this chapter is mine, again with the exception of the cabin. And even that just sprang from a need to give S. and H. a place where they could be alone.

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_Chapter Seven_

_~Lovers~_

She needed to say nothing else. In what seemed to be one fluid motion, he was on his feet and had swept her up high in his arms. He strode from the living room into the room he slept in, depositing her rather unceremoniously upon the mattress before then climbing up with her.

He rolled her beneath him and seized her mouth in a kiss that set her entire body ablaze. And while he kissed her, her fingers were not still. They fumbled with his shirt, scrabbling at the buttons in her haste to remove his shirt.

When she was mostly unsuccessful in unbuttoning his shirt, his large hands closed over her smaller ones to still her fingers. He gently urged her hands out of the way and undid the rest of the buttons himself.

Once he had dragged his shirt from his body, her hands found his strong chest and smoothed over the muscles. Her fingers traced the contours of his pectorals and the ridges of his abdominal muscles, which spasmed beneath her fingertips in response to her touch. Her fingers continued to explore as she brushed one of his nipples with the pads of her fingers and delighted in the hiss that sounded between his teeth. Then her hands journeyed to his broad shoulders and his biceps, her nails digging into his skin when he took her nipple into his mouth – the other one this time – and bit down lightly in retaliation for her having flicked his nipple with her fingers.

She let out a guttural moan in response as her nails sank into his skin, and those two combined reactions proved to be his undoing. Any semblance of self-control he had left vanished abruptly, and he tore himself from her arms in order to, with a silent wave of his hand, divest himself of the rest of his clothes.

Hermione got a brief look at him before he rejoined her on the bed, and what she saw made her hotter than ever. She knew he didn't think he was a handsome man, but what she saw was enough for her to soundly and completely disagree. His face might not be a classic example of male beauty, but his looks fit who he was. Some of the lines and planes of his face were a bit harsh, much like his personality could be, particularly in the classroom, and his bold, slashing black eyebrows and strongly arched nose made him faintly resemble a hawk. But personally, she'd always found hawks to be beautiful birds.

And his body...! It was quite a good thing, she mused, that he hid his body beneath his billowing robes, for if the other young witches in the upper years at Hogwarts had had any clue what kind of body he sported, it would have been much more difficult for him to maintain order among the females of his classes. There was not an ounce of excess anything on his body, no excess flesh and certainly no excess fat. He was also far more muscular than he appeared beneath his robes; while he certainly didn't possess the over-the-top musculature of body-builders, she hadn't expected the ridges and contours of his muscles to be so well-defined.

When her eyes fell to the juncture of his legs, she felt faint. She suddenly wasn't so sure how well this would work out; how on Earth was _that_ supposed to fit? It was nearly as thick as her wrist! Oh, but gods, was it beautiful, in an almost frightening way. Long, thick, and slightly curved, it stood proudly at attention, and she could see from here how the purplish mushroom-shaped head glistened.

Then, before she could examine his body any further, he was back on the bed with her, this time leaning over her body from the side. This gave his questing fingers greater access to more of her body as he played her as expertly as a concert pianist plays the ivory and black keys of his chosen instrument. And to his ears, the sounds he elicited from her were infinitely more beautiful than anything that could ever be heard in a concert hall.

His fingers trailed over her collarbone, raising goosebumps in their wake, before moving down to caress the undersides of her breasts. As his fingers traced back up the sides of her breasts and then moving to slowly trace, in ever-tightening circles, her areolas and her nipples, she trembled in his arms. She had to struggle to regulate her breathing when she realized his lips were following the path his fingers were taking.

Soon she was trying to divide her attention between his mouth feasting once more on her breasts – this time switching from one to the other and back so as not to neglect either – and his fingers dancing a steady path down her body. They paused to encircle her belly-button, their touch light as a feather, and dipped inside briefly before moving on.

She held her breath in anticipation when she noted where his hands were going, but was finally forced to expel it in frustration when she realized that, while he seemed to be setting every inch of the skin of her upper and inner thighs, hips, and lower belly on fire, he was deliberately avoiding the place where she wanted him most. She was about to protest when his head suddenly left her breasts and began to move lower. Her protest died on her lips as she froze, hardly daring to breathe.

His lips trailed a similar path to the one his fingers had taken, caressing the skin of her hips, lower belly, and thighs, and she could feel her body tightening in anticipation. When his fingers dipped into the slick, wet heat at the apex of her thighs and found the glistening pearl hidden there, she arched her back and gave a low cry of surprise and pleasure.

Her hands fisted in the coverlet of the bed as if to anchor herself to its surface and keep herself from flying away as he played with her clit, changing the strokes of his fingers from quick flicks to slow, firm circles to light pinches. Eventually his hand changed position, his fingers moving lower and his thumb taking over her clit as first one finger and then two found the depression that marked her entrance.

Severus marveled at how wet, hot, and tight she was as he worked his fingers into her sheath. He paused his motions in order to ascertain how comfortable she was with the intrusion, and when she made a sound of protest as he stopped, he chuckled and continued. As his fingers stroked her inner walls, he found that spot inside her that would make her sing, and he curled his fingers into it in a "come hither" motion.

Her eyes flew open wide, her mouth opened to form an almost perfect O, and she bolted upright into a sitting position. He lifted his head from where he'd been kissing the flesh at the juncture of her hip and upper thigh and placed his free hand on one of her shoulders. "Down," he murmured, gently urging her once more onto her back. When she lay down again, he continued his ministrations, only this time, he removed his hand from her pussy, much to her dismay.

Hermione whimpered at the loss of his warm hand, but before she could protest too much, he was urging her to spread her thighs even more before then burying his face between her legs. She cried out and seized his head in both hands as his tongue found her clit and flicked it before he began to eat her out in a way she'd never imagined anyone ever would.

By the time she felt the fire in her belly building to a crescendo as her body hurtled its way up to some unseen peak, he had thoroughly explored every bit of her pussy with his tongue, alternating between playing with her clit and thrusting in and out of her tight sheath. His mouth then returned to her clit while his fingers entered her once more to mimic what he fully intended to do with a different part of his anatomy shortly. By this point, the noises she was making had lost much of their coherence; he was still able to make out enough to discern when she was begging for more or for mercy, as opposed to gasping and moaning wordlessly. There were several "pleases" and an "oh, gods" thrown in a few times, but what really made the beast within him lift its head and purr mightily was when she moaned, "Oh, Sev…Severus…ohhhh," barely able to get his whole name out at once.

It took every ounce of control Severus had not to surge into her body and take her right then and there; his goal of turning her inside out was working out better than he'd ever dared hope, and he marveled that this heart-breakingly beautiful witch was responding so stunningly to _him,_ ex-Death-Eater and Head of the House that rivaled hers. The sounds she was making and all the half-coherent begging she was doing with that voice of hers had to be the most erotic things he'd ever heard in his life. Her voice was already a little lower and huskier than that of most women, and now it was stark and primal, full of need. Just the sound of her voice alone was enough to make him painfully aroused.

Finally, his lips gave a particularly strong pull on her clit while his fingers curled up into her G-spot once more, and the combination made her shatter with a loud cry. She came hard, all over his mouth and fingers as her inner walls clamped down on the digits he still had buried inside her. With difficulty he withdrew his fingers and lapped up the nectar of her ecstasy, thoroughly enjoying the tremors that shook her body in the aftermath of what he was certain was her first orgasm, at least that wasn't self-induced.

Severus lifted his head from between Hermione's thighs to watch as she came down from her climax, and thought her face post-orgasm was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Finally she opened her eyes, and as sparkling brown met glittering black, he could see in the depths of her gaze a strange kind of light that hadn't been there before.

He didn't know what the light was, only that it somehow made her suddenly seem older, as if she were only now made a woman where before she had only been a young girl. What he didn't know was that the light in her eyes now was an ancient light that has been in the eyes of every woman who has ever found pleasure in her lover's touch since the days of Eve.

They stared into each other's eyes for a long moment, and then she reached to place her hand on the back of his neck to guide him back up her body. She spread her legs a little more, enabling him to nestle his hips into the cradle of her thighs, and drew his head down to hers for a kiss. She could taste her own essence on his lips and tongue, and the taste made her even wetter.

When all he did was kiss her, she pulled her lips away from his just enough to murmur, "I need you, Severus, please. Come inside me."

Had he been standing, those words delivered in that voice would have brought him to his knees. She really had no idea what her voice could do to him. It dripped with pure sex when she was either aroused, like now, or sleepy, and her plea just now was almost enough to make him cum right there.

So really, how could he resist? He took her mouth in another kiss meant to stake his claim on her soul, even as he reached down with one hand to position himself at the entrance to her body. He rubbed the tip of his cock along her slit, both to tease her a little and to lubricate himself to ease his passage inside her. He was about to cast a charm to prevent pregnancy when he remembered that she wouldn't be able to get pregnant in the first place, even were he to do the opposite and cast a fertility charm, which couldn't fix damaged ovaries. His heart clenched with pain for her, and not wanting to call her attention to it and cause her more pain, he kissed her again.

"Are you ready, love?" he murmured against her lips. His voice was dark and erotic, like chocolate and silk, and it seemed to find its way straight to her pussy with another rush of moisture.

All she could do was nod mutely, and then he was gripping her hips with both hands and pressing inexorably inside. When he knew he could go no further without tearing the hymen that partially concealed her entrance, he paused and looked into her eyes. In their depths he saw a wealth of emotion that found its way straight to his soul, and at the forefront of those emotions was trust. Without breaking the connection of their gazes, he kissed her even as he gave a single powerful thrust and broke through her virginity.

He continued kissing her, swallowing the low cry of pain she couldn't keep from him, and only took his mouth from hers so he could kiss the tears that leaked from her eyes. Severus's hearing, made more acute by the same magic that allowed him to take on so many different animal forms, had picked up a faint tearing sound as he surged into her; it was the sound of the hymen testifying to her virginity breaking as he tore through it. Part of him cringed at the sound, imagining the pain it must mean for her, but at the same time, the implications of that sound were immensely satisfying. Hermione was his, in every way imaginable and in every way in which she'd never belonged to another man; he was her first lover, and now that he'd had just this small taste of her, he'd be damned if anyone but him ever had her again. He would be her first, last, and only.

"You're mine now, witch," he murmured possessively, brushing her lips with a kiss. "You're mine, and I will never let you go."

"Yours," she agreed breathily. "Forever."

Her words caused a thrill to run through him, and though he wouldn't have thought it possible, he hardened even more within her.

Hermione struggled to even out her labored breathing and relax. It took a great deal of effort, as he was quite large, even, she was certain, by normal standards. She could feel how he filled and stretched her, almost to the point of not being able to take him at all, and she wondered distractedly if either of her old Gryffindor room-mates or Ginny had ever felt this stretched their first time. She also realized as she slowly adjusted to his intrusion that she could feel every inch of him inside her, could feel every part of her body that he touched within her, where she hadn't even realized one _could_ feel anything. It was a beautiful thing to know.

When she had finally relaxed completely, a couple of things happened quite suddenly. First, he slid perhaps another half-inch or so deeper, the head of his cock bumping against her cervix, which panged at the contact. Second, something suddenly burst to life inside her. It was very similar to that which had grown within her earlier before shattering explosively as she came. Again she was aware of every inch of him inside her, but now she was aware of it in a different way; now that awareness was laden with promise. Eager for that explosive shattering, she shifted experimentally beneath him, suddenly restless, all her pain gone.

When he met her gaze in question, she moved again, this time with a challenge in her eyes. He growled low in his throat, gathered her buttocks in his hands, and squeezed possessively before beginning to thrust in and out, with long, slow strokes partly designed to torture her. The other part of it was that he knew he had to keep a tight rein on his control, as he could easily hurt her. And of course, his little Gryffindor princess had to hold true to her House and be contrary; she wrapped her legs around his waist rather than holding them open for him and bucked beneath him.

"Don't hold back. Let go," she breathed when he looked at her. When he frowned at her, knowing she must still be in a little pain at least, she added, "We already talked about this. I can take you. I can take all of you. I'm not going to break, so don't treat me like glass."

"Hermione, you're a virgin. You're also a small woman, and the tightest I've ever been with. I could hurt you easily, simply by accident," he told her, refusing to pick up his pace.

Before he'd even finished speaking, fire leapt into her eyes, and he realized just to whom he was speaking. He realized he'd crossed a line by implying she wasn't strong enough to handle him.

"Move, damn it. Harder," she barked. Her commanding tone was that of an army general firing off orders. Not unlike him in the classroom, he mused. She bucked again in emphasis.

It was then, as he saw the challenge in her eyes, that he recalled once more with whom he was dealing. This was, after all, the same witch who, as she'd said earlier, had a tendency to do things like charge into a room full of known vampires or get into a fight with a pack of wolves a great deal larger than herself. And with the things she'd learned during her time in the rainforest, she was the only witch alive other than Minerva McGonagall who could hold her own against him in a duel. So if she couldn't handle him, no one could.

With a feral growl that made its way straight from the beast hidden within the depths of his self to the one dwelling within her, he accepted her challenge, instinct driving him to dominate. He hooked her legs over his shoulders, changing the angle of penetration, and gripped her body more powerfully in his hands as he started to thrust harder. He was rewarded when Hermione's gaze instantly glazed over, losing its focus, and she let out a moan, her fingers coming up to grip his hair. His scalp started to sting a little.

As his thrusts started to increase in both speed and force and her knees were forced closer to her chest, her ankles in the air, she realized that this new position gave him all the power – she couldn't even grip his body to her with her legs. She moved her hand from his scalp to wrap around the back of his neck as if to anchor herself more firmly to him. As her moans began to escalate, her nails sank into the skin at the back of his neck, the fingers of her other hand tightening to a death grip in his hair.

He watched the expressions on her beautiful face, watching the changes more avidly than he knew Potter and Weasley watched their Quidditch games. Her face convinced him he'd done well to comply with her pleas to move harder; she really was tougher than he gave her credit for. He nearly came when she panted, "Harder, Severus – _ohhhh_ – faster!"

Just then, an idea struck him. With difficulty, he managed to extract himself from her arms, despite her protests, and he flipped her over onto her stomach. Then he grabbed her hips and pulled her hips and arse into the air as her upper torso remained pressed to the surface of the mattress. He positioned himself behind her, aligning his groin to her backside, and gripped her hips in his hands, his fingers digging a little into the soft flesh there. He held her immobile with his unyielding hands, and with one smooth, powerful thrust he was inside her once more, now fucking her from behind. She couldn't hold back a moan of delight as her tight, wet walls once again gave way, reluctantly, to his immense hardness, and her fists clenched in the covers of the bed.

"Gods, so fucking tight," he muttered as he began to buck his hips, thrusting in and out of her. With every forward thrust of his hips, he jerked hers backward against him, controlling both of their movements himself.

Suddenly, he changed the pace, now pumping with long, slow, powerful strokes rather than fast, hard ones. He smirked when he felt her legs tense and she let out another moan. As he moved, his fingers danced over her sensitized skin, releasing their bruising grip on her flesh and now working to make her nerves hum. With her face turned to the side and her profile turned toward him, he could see her eyes widen and glaze over and a beautiful flush creep into her cheeks. Her teeth sank into her lower lip and her breathing became a little harsher as she tried to control her moans.

That wouldn't do at all. He didn't want her to hold back the expression of her pleasure; he intended to make her scream. So he continued his torturously slow pace, every once in a while changing it up with one hard, rapid thrust to keep her from becoming too complacent. The entire time, he watched the flush in her cheeks become more pronounced and listened to her moans escalate. Finally when in response to one of his hard, rapid thrusts she let out a low cry, he began to fuck her hard and fast again, knowing she was rapidly approaching her peak.

Hermione came twice, moaning loudly the entire time, and both times the constrictive pulsing of her inner muscles nearly undid him, but he persevered. He managed to keep going, though how she had no idea. She would have thought he'd come the first time she did, though she supposed she shouldn't be surprised at his staying power. Everything about him seemed to allude to great stamina. But as he felt her body building towards a third orgasm, he knew he could hold out no longer.

He pulled out of her, and before she had time to protest, he flipped her back onto her back and drove himself back inside her with a grunt. She nearly went cross-eyed when he did so, and she wrapped both arms and legs around his body as he took her higher and higher toward the point of ultimate bliss, for the third time. Then she felt his fingers tighten on her hips, their force bruising. She was amazed that it was even possible, but he started thrusting even more roughly now, so that her pleasure bordered on pain as the swollen head of his shaft banged into her cervix with every downward plunge of his hips. She knew he must be riding the wave with her, approaching the same peak over which they would fall together. The expression that came over her face was one of pure ecstasy and she couldn't stop herself; her moans escalated and became low cries.

Then, finally, they both came, their mutual orgasm thunderous. Their limbs tightened about each other, his fingers digging into the flesh of her hips and her strong legs wrapping about his waist in a stranglehold that was almost painful. As her inner walls clenched powerfully around his cock as she came hard, she sank her teeth into his shoulder and bit down hard to muffle the scream she was unable to hold back. He gasped as the dual sensations of her teeth sinking into his flesh and her pussy attempting to strangle his cock gave him the most powerful orgasm of his life; he felt his balls tighten and he gave a low groan as he swelled and spilled his seed deep within her. She felt a rush of warmth fill her body as his seed spurted wetly against the barrier of her cervix and swamped her passage, and the sensation made her see stars as her inner muscles pulsed repetitively around him in smaller contractions, milking him dry.

As they came down from their cataclysmic orgasms and fought for breath, he became aware that he was still on top of her, and that her small hands were gently massaging his shoulders. He opened his eyes and looked at her face; the deeply satisfied expression on her face was the most beautiful he'd ever seen, even more than her face after the orgasm he'd given her while eating out her pussy.

Finally, he gathered the energy required to roll off her, not wanting to crush her. He lay on his back beside her, but gathered her into his arms so that she lay half across his body and her head rested on his shoulder. As he whispered a simple wandless cleansing charm over both their bodies, she sleepily turned so that she was more comfortably tucked into his body, draping one arm and one leg over him.

"That was beautiful, Severus, thank you," she murmured contentedly. She paused for such a long moment that Severus thought she had fallen asleep, so he settled for pulling her closer to him and allowing himself to start drifting off as well.

Before he could fall asleep, however, he heard her speaking again, her voice now husky with sleep rather than desire. "You're mine, too, you know. After that, you realize _I_ won't be letting _you_ go, ever. You're stuck with me now," she murmured.

He gave a deep chuckle. "Then we are in agreement, witch," he replied, pressing a kiss to her hair.

Her "mmmm" of agreement was much more like a purr of contentment that would have had his cock up and ready to go again if not for the fact that sleep had mostly overtaken him by now. Instead, rather than aroused, the sound merely made him happy as he drifted off.

Hermione woke up a short while later, somewhat disoriented as she opened her eyes to the ceiling without really seeing it. She wondered briefly what had woken her up from a particularly amazing dream, but quickly realized that what had awoken her was a rapidly intensifying feeling of pleasure between her legs.

The last traces of sleep vanished almost instantly as she opened her eyes fully and looked down her body to find Severus's head buried between her thighs as he licked and suckled her towards another orgasm. It washed over her quickly, leaving her helpless to do anything but cry out in surprise at how suddenly he'd taken her over the edge.

Before he had the chance to do anything else, she was moving off the bed and tugging him with her. She moved so quickly she was able to catch him by surprise and push him over against the wall where she dropped to her knees before him.

Severus opened his mouth to stop her, but before he could say anything, her small hand closed around his erection and instead of speaking he sucked in a gasp. He gritted his teeth as she started to stroke his length, her fist slowly but firmly pumping, occasionally sweeping the pad of her thumb over the weeping purple head.

When her head suddenly moved forward and her tongue darted out to taste the moisture at his leaking tip, he let out an involuntary groan. He put his hand on the top of her head, intending to object and draw her up and away from his cock, but when her mouth engulfed his length, his fingers slid of their own volition into her hair and closed over her scalp in order to pull her closer. He felt her lips twist into a smirk around his shaft as she obliged him and drew him further into her mouth. "Wicked witch," he sighed, and hardened further when he heard – and felt – her hum in agreement around his cock.

If someone were to have told him just two weeks ago that he'd get the best head of his life from a former student, he would have sneered and suggested they check in at St. Mungo's and get their head examined (no pun intended). But now he couldn't help but marvel at the incredible sight of Hermione Granger on her knees before him with her mouth full of his cock. He knew that none of the women he'd ever been with, Lily Evans included (they'd slept together once, just a few short days before that fateful day the Marauders had accosted him and he'd lashed out at her in anger and humiliation, bringing about the end of their friendship and budding relationship with one fell swoop), could hold a candle to Hermione.

As his pleasure mounted, his thoughts dissipated, his ability to think clearly now compromised by the unbelievably talented mouth and tongue of Hermione Granger. She released his cock from between her lips with a faint popping sound, and trailed kisses along its length until she reached his heavy testicles. She traced her tongue around the sensitive flesh on the underside of his sac before drawing one of his balls into her mouth and pulling on it with her lips and tongue.

Severus's eyes popped open at that, as did his mouth, but then he gritted his teeth again as he felt the tell-tale tightening in his balls that signaled his coming orgasm. He tried once more to draw her up and away, but she refused to budge. Instead, she closed her mouth around the head of his cock and sucked roughly one last time, and he was overcome. He screwed his eyes shut and clenched his jaw, groaning through his teeth as he came in her mouth, his seed splashing onto her tongue. He felt her tongue working around him and opened his eyes, astonished to see that she was _swallowing._ That alone was enough to draw several more spurts of semen from him, until he thought he couldn't possibly have any more.

It turned out he was wrong. She allowed his now semi-soft cock to slip out of her mouth as she stood, but then the vixen looked him in the eye as she wiped her mouth with her hand and licked her fingers before licking her lips, a cat-like smile of satisfaction playing about those blessed lips. He was hard again in an instant.

Severus couldn't take any more teasing from the wench. So suddenly she yelped in surprise, he swung them both around so that _she_ was pushed against the wall. But he didn't stop there. His hands closed possessively over her bare bum and he lifted her up, forcing his hips between her thighs and leaving her with little choice but to wrap her legs around his waist and hook her arms around his shoulders.

"Foolish kitten," he purred into her ear. She shuddered when he ran his tongue around the outer shell of her ear, her arms tightening reflexively around his neck. "Has no one ever told you how unwise it is to tease an ex-Death-Eater? The consequences can be…severe," he told her, those last few words spoken in a rough growl that had her pulse spiking and a flood of moisture rushing between her thighs.

"Wha-" Her voice emerged sounding cracked and rough after the nap they'd taken, so she swallowed and tried again. "What are you going to do about it?" she asked, her voice husky.

His dark eyes flashed at the sound of her voice, but he answered in a smooth drawl that was all silk and dark chocolate. "Well, since ex-Death-Eaters don't appreciate being teased even by the most charming kittens, I'm afraid you will have to be…punished."

Hermione was so completely mesmerized by his voice that she hardly even noticed him shifting her a little in his arms, so she was caught completely off-guard and cried out in surprise and pleasure when he entered her with a single powerful thrust, burying himself in her so deeply that the head of his cock pressed hard up into her cervix.

He took her hard, there against the wall, taking supreme satisfaction in the fact that in this position, he possessed all the control and all she could do was take him into her body and try to keep her head above the surface of the onslaught of her pleasure. But he allowed her no quarter, giving her no mercy as he pounded into her, delighting in her escalating moans and the rate at which she was losing control of her body.

She screwed her eyes shut as her pleasure mounted, but forced them back open when he ground out, "Look at me." She obeyed, struggling to focus her eyes on his, and when she did and saw in the depths of his gaze that he knew exactly what he was doing to her and that he was doing it deliberately, she flew apart in his arms.

Severus felt her shattering around him, and it was all he could do to keep from following her. He intended to make her come at least twice before allowing himself the same. It was incredibly difficult to manage, however; her hot sleeve was soaking wet and impossibly tight, only tightening further as she clamped down on him, but he managed. He was strengthened by the sheer beauty of her face as she came; his desire to bring that look to her face as many times as possible drove him to persevere.

He actually brought her to orgasm three times, finally allowing himself to let go as she broke the last time, realizing that she was clinging to him and moaning incoherently, only half-conscious and barely able to lift her head from where it had fallen onto his shoulder. He emptied himself into her with a guttural roar, his semen spewing from his cock to bathe her tight sleeve, and to the surprise of both of them, the sensation of his seed washing into her body wrung a fourth, albeit weak, orgasm from her.

As they both came down from their tumultuous highs, he withdrew from her body and adjusted her in his arms so that he held her in a fireman's hold. As he did so, she clung weakly to his neck and he realized she was weeping softly. He was about to panic, fearing he'd been too rough with her, but he caught a glimpse of her face and realized that hers were tears of ecstasy, not pain. He was overcome by tenderness, and he kissed her tears as he lowered them both on to the bed and drew her into his arms.

He was about to cast a wandless cleansing charm over their bodies, but she caught his wrist and said softly, "Just take it off my thighs." When he looked at her in question, she blushed and lowered her eyes, saying, "I, erm, well…I like knowing there's a small part of you still inside me, even when we're not, well, you know."

He blinked, stunned. Had he not been so worn out by their recent physical exertion, that little admission of hers would have been highly arousing. As it was, it was enough to leave him with a feeling of triumph; the wild beast that had become more and more a part of him since he'd learned how to access the forms of any animal in existence lifted its head and purred mightily at the words of its mate.

He acquiesced, and modified the charm so that it specifically cleaned only her thighs, and then he turned the charm on himself, cleansing himself completely. Then he drew her back into his arms for another short rest.

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Whew. Man. Like I said, intense, eh? Well, next chapter we're back to the real world. Well, their version of the real world, you know, with witches and vampires and wolves, oh my. Next chapter we start meeting other witches and wizards. We get a visit from a particular Hogwarts matriarch. And the knowledge of Severus and Hermione's relationship reaches the first person who's not a resident of the Forks - La Push area. Let me know what you think. Thanks loves,

RP13


	8. Minerva

_Oh, look, RP13 is back. Yay!_

Thanks, everyone for your patience with me. I hope I haven't lost any readers! Suffice it to say Real Life decided I had been neglecting it and pitched a fit, so between work and plans for a desperately needed vacation and having to hash out the details of a trip to be taken with a friend during said vacation, as well as searching for a better-paying job, my head has been whirling.

For this chapter, we, or rather Hermione and Severus, are back to real life. Chapter 7 was a pleasant little interlude, but we must continue with the story. We haven't even hit the biggest conflict yet. And no, that wasn't me not-so-subtly dropping a hint to pester me with questions regarding what happens next. Wait and see, oh impatient reader, you.

Disclaimer: No es mio. The only thing in this chapter that's mine is the cabin. Minerva, Severus, Hermione, and everyone else mentioned belong to their respective creators, neither of whom is me.

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_Chapter Eight_

_~Minerva~_

It was around three in the afternoon when Severus was awakened by his rumbling belly, and he realized neither he nor Hermione had eaten any lunch. He carefully extracted himself from her arms, leaving her asleep in the middle of his large bed – he took a moment to relish the feeling of satisfaction that came with knowing Hermione was asleep in _his_ bed because she was exhausted from having sex with _him_ – and after a moment's hesitation, decided that just his trousers would do for dressing himself. He'd fix sandwiches for the both of them.

He left the room, closing the door so he wouldn't disturb Hermione while she slept, and headed for the kitchen. He pulled bread, a block of cheese, some of the roast chicken left over from when Hermione had cooked the other day, and a few other things from the refrigerator, and set about making lunch.

He was halfway through, having finished Hermione's sandwich and started on his own, when he heard the fireplace flare to life in the living room. He poked his head around the doorway leading from the kitchen to the living room to see an image of Minerva McGonagall's head floating in the green flames. Such an image was all his wards would allow; no one would be able to Floo into the cabin without the express permission of either himself or Hermione.

"Severus? Is this a convenient time? I have news," Minerva's voice said through the image of her head.

"Yes, by all means," he replied. With a careless wave of his wand, he dismantled the wards about the fireplace, allowing Minerva to step through in a rush of whirling green flames.

He disappeared back into the kitchen, knowing she'd follow. When she did, he looked up, his mouth open to offer her some refreshment or other, but he stopped short when he saw her gobsmacked expression. Puzzled, he blinked. Minerva never gaped like that.

Belatedly, he realized three things. One, he was only in his trousers. Two, Minerva hadn't seen him only in his trousers since his days as a student at Hogwarts, and then he'd been very young, likely only a first- or second-year. And three, his trousers happened to be hanging a bit low on his hips.

"I beg your pardon, Minerva," he said, flushing. "Your call caught me by surprise. Give me a moment to make myself more presentable." He picked up his wand and with a wave of it, a white shirt and the black dragon-hide boots he wore while teaching Potions joined his trousers on his body.

Minerva looked as though she dearly wanted to ask the reason for his state of undress, but she wisely decided to hold her tongue. It wasn't her business, and after all, there were much more important things on her mind than the whys and wherefores of Severus being only in his trousers. Lucius Malfoy's disappearance, for one. And Hermione for another. Since Severus had mentioned finding her the other day, Minerva had been wanting desperately to see her former student, having not seen her since she'd disappeared only a couple of weeks after the Final Battle and Voldemort's defeat.

She accepted Severus's offer of tea and decided to give him her news while he prepared the tea and what looked like a very late lunch for himself and Hermione. Which begged another question: Why were the two of them eating lunch so late when she knew they both stuck to a routine of lunch at twelve-thirty?

"There have been sightings of Lucius Malfoy," she told Severus now. "We've had reports from the American Ministry of Magic based in Washington D.C. that members of the Wizarding community in Seattle reported to their local authorities sightings of a man matching descriptions of Lucius Malfoy broadcasted on Wizarding and Muggle radio and on Muggle news television as well as published in Wizarding and Muggle newspapers. The reports state that he's been sighted by Seattle residents throughout Seattle as well as by Seattle residents visiting Port Angeles and other neighboring towns, including Forks." She accepted the saucer and full teacup he offered her and blew on her tea a bit before taking a small sip to test the temperature. She took a larger sip when she didn't burn herself.

"He has indeed been in the area. In fact, this morning, while I was running a few errands, he stepped right into the outermost edges of the wards Hermione and I had set to alert us of a magical presence," he replied.

Minerva nearly choked on her tea and had to put it down lest she drop it. "What?" she said hoarsely after a brief coughing fit.

He explained what had happened that morning, telling her exactly what Hermione had told him. He told her how Hermione had picked up on the intrusion of a threatening magical presence and had decided to investigate, taking on the form of a wolf once she'd stepped out of the cabin. Then he explained how Hermione had tracked Malfoy, following him until she found a chance to attack, and how she'd failed to capture him as he'd Disapparated when her cover was blown. Then, when Minerva frowned at him, confused, he had to backtrack and explain the appearance of the Quileute wolves and how the Cullens had helped to smooth things over between the wolves and the witch and wizard, which meant that he had to backtrack again and remind Minerva of the Cullens, whom he'd told her about yesterday afternoon after he and Hermione had met them.

When he finished his explanation, informing her about the meeting he and Hermione would be having with both the Quileute wolves and the Cullens tomorrow night, Minerva's expression was one of disbelief and amazement.

"And here I thought Potter was the one always getting himself into trouble," she commented.

Severus's lips quirked into what had to be the most genuine smile of amusement Minerva had seen on his face in a long time. She added that to her list of points of interest, filing it away for examination later, along with Severus's state of undress upon her arrival and the fact that he was making such a late lunch for himself and Hermione. But she decided to say nothing about all that until she was able to make something of the whole situation.

"Yes, well, it seems Potter managed to rub off on Hermione after all during their time as friends. Such Gryffindor tendencies do rub off on other people, you know," Severus answered, amused.

The Head of Gryffindor House snorted. "You don't have to tell me that, Severus, any more than I have to tell you that the longer you're friends with a Slytherin the more adept you become at sneaking about and talking your way out of trouble," she teased him. She was rewarded with a smirk from the Head of Slytherin House, her friend and rival for all intents and purposes for almost all of the twenty or so years that he'd been teaching.

The two of them fell silent for a while as Minerva sipped her tea and Severus continued making his sandwich. They were both reminiscing about the days between the first war against Voldemort and the second, where neither of them had anything to worry about other than making sure their students passed their classes and which of their Houses would come out on top in the bid for the Quidditch Cup that year.

It was perhaps five minutes later, once Minerva had drunk the last few drops of her tea, that she was about to ask Severus what they should do about Malfoy. But before she could even open her mouth, there was a faint gasp from the doorway between the kitchen and the living room and a soft voice exclaimed, "Oh! Professor!"

Both Minerva and Severus looked toward the doorway for the source of the voice, and Minerva just barely managed to keep her jaw from hitting the floor. There in the doorway, looking quite disheveled, as if she'd just woken up, and seeming suddenly extremely uncomfortable with a blush staining her cheeks, stood Hermione Granger in naught but an oversized black button-down shirt that Minerva thought looked suspiciously like one of Severus's. Said button-down shirt came to about mid-thigh, the sleeves were rolled up to just below Hermione's elbows, and only half the buttons were done.

The three of them eyed each other awkwardly. Well, Severus carefully avoided Minerva's gaze while attempting – and failing – to be discrete as he examined Hermione from across the room for signs of physical discomfort. He was still feeling faintly guilty for having worn her out so much. Hermione tried to meet Minerva's gaze nonchalantly, as if nothing was out of place, and avoided looking at Severus, afraid that if she did she'd give away what they'd been up to. She failed as well.

Minerva looked back and forth between her two former students, one of whom was also a colleague, with rapidly mounting comprehension. She was quickly connecting the dots between Severus's state of undress upon her arrival, the late hour at which he was making lunch for himself and Hermione, Hermione's appearance in what looked remarkably like one of Severus's shirts, and her wild, tangled hair (which to Minerva looked suspiciously like sex hair).

Minerva wasn't entirely certain at first what to make of the situation, but she did know that she was extremely glad she hadn't called earlier. Her first thought was to be furious with Severus for taking advantage of one of her precious cubs, but almost immediately after that came the memory of what Severus's own youth had been like and how one such lion cub had broken _his_ heart all those years ago.

Minerva also knew that while there were similarities between Lily and Hermione – they _were_ both Gryffindors, after all – Hermione was also far more emotionally mature at this age than Lily had been. And while Hermione's temper was more easily provoked than it had once been and she could hold grudges just as well as Lily could, she was also much more capable of being objective than Lily had been. Lily had often been hasty in the judgments that determined whether or not she would hold a grudge, but Hermione tended to first examine the story from all possible angles before making similar judgments.

Minerva rather felt that on some level, Severus subconsciously recognized all these differences between his former love and Hermione and simply latched onto the chance to avoid making the same mistakes he'd made with Lily. She also thought that Severus, having been so badly hurt once before, might have entered into whatever it was he had with Hermione with greater caution.

Her initial shock had dissipated and was rapidly turning into delight. While many people would be horrified at the thought of a nearly-forty-year-old man in a romantic relationship with a former student almost twenty years younger than him, Minerva was a romantic at heart. Add to that the fact that the two people in question were probably the two she cared for most, left alive anyway, and the fact that intellectually speaking, Hermione was matchless among those witches and wizards of her age group. She'd be bored out of her skull with the majority of young men her age and needed someone older and more experienced, whose sharp mind would stimulate her own. Severus Snape certainly fit the bill. So Minerva was happy to toss any reservations she might have had otherwise about their relationship out the window. Their lives had been difficult, Hermione having lost so many loved ones and Severus having had few to love him to begin with, and if they made each other happy, well, then, the old Gryffindor matriarch would be the first – and loudest – to stand in their defense.

Hermione spoke, avoiding both Minerva's and Severus's gazes, her face bright red. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize…please, erm, give me a moment, I'll go change. I'll…I'll be right back," she stuttered, and before either of the two professors could say anything, she whirled from the room and was gone.

Severus finally dared a peek at Minerva; something devilish inside the old Gryffindor matriarch prompted her to fix him with a stern look. "What the devil is going on, Severus? Why are you making such a late lunch for yourself and Hermione? Why were you in nothing but your trousers when I first arrived? And why the deuce was Hermione Granger in nothing but what looked an awful lot like one of your shirts?"

He sighed. "Minerva, I can explain…"

He sounded so defensive and yet so pained, as if he feared someone would try to take something from him. No doubt it was Hermione he feared would be taken from him, and as she looked into his face in that instant before he launched into an explanation, she saw something she hadn't seen in his face in more than twenty years. It was a look he'd worn once before his falling-out with Lily Evans, when he'd thought they could be something more, only this time, with Hermione, it was ten times more powerful. And Minerva knew that if Hermione's love were taken from him as Lily's had been, it would break him. So she took pity on him.

She smiled softly at him, confusing him and effectively cutting off his explanation before she even said anything. "Relax, Severus, I was only teasing. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what you and Hermione have been up to. And I am not going to stop you. You're doing nothing wrong. She is no longer your student, and she has been of age for a year. Two, if you count her rather extensive use of a Time-Turner in her third year." She paused and smiled again, this time with a bit of humor. "And if I recall correctly, her cousin Isabella is more than eighty years younger than _her_ husband, his immortality notwithstanding. You both deserve every bit of happiness you can find after everything you've been through and done for the Wizarding World, and if you happen to find it with each other, then I shall be the first person to stand up in your defense should anyone protest."

She tried not to laugh as she finished speaking and saw his gobsmacked expression. If it was rare for Severus Snape to laugh, it was almost completely unheard of for him to be shocked speechless.

Minerva was not much of a Legilimens, but she had known Severus for so long that she often had some idea of what he was thinking, and had learned to read the tiny nuances in his expressions that gave his feelings away. Those infinitesimal changes were so subtle that aside from herself, Albus Dumbledore, and Poppy Pomfrey, none of the other staff had ever picked up on them. They saw him as an incredibly stoic, intensely private man who forbade any emotion from crossing his face beyond his control. And right now, that control was slipping ever so slightly. She could see clearly that he was half wondering if she might be pulling his leg, or if she had jumped into her statement with typical Gryffindor brashness and would most likely, given time to think it over, change her mind about her support.

"I'm serious, Severus," she said firmly. "You and that girl will do each other a world of good. The war has damaged you both, and you will be able to help each other. You will protect her, and she will teach you how to be young again. And intellectually, you are a far better match for her than any of the young men her age. She would be bored to tears with them."

She fell silent for a bit as they waited for Hermione to come down, but when the younger witch had made her appearance, Minerva made no mention of the clothing – or lack thereof – that Hermione had first appeared in, or of the possible connotations thereof. Instead, she told Hermione what she and Severus had been discussing before her arrival the first time around.

Severus wordlessly offered Hermione the plate with her completed sandwich, which she accepted with a brief, grateful smile. He took his own plate, and the three of them turned to sit at the small kitchen table while they talked.

In the end, not much was decided except that they would keep an eye out for the return of Malfoy or any other rogue Death Eaters. Minerva wondered if perhaps, once they'd learned more about both the Cullens and the Quileutes, the vampires and the wolf pack might be able to help. They also decided that if a Death Eater were discovered in these parts again, then the American Ministry of Magic would be contacted; hopefully they'd dispatch a small task force of Aurors to Forks and the surrounding area to increase security until Malfoy at least was found.

Once those details had been hashed out, Minerva had to return to her Headmistress duties at Hogwarts. As she made ready to leave, she paused and regarded Severus and Hermione. "The two of you might want to make a visit to the Burrow. Since you contacted me about having found Hermione and I made it known that she was alive, Molly's worked herself into a dither wondering what sort of condition she is in and when she will see her again. She's convinced herself that you've been starving to death wherever you've been living, Hermione, and is anxious to have you back in the nest. And there are quite a few others who are rather…put out with you for having made them think you were dead." She fixed the younger witch with a stern gaze that told Hermione in no uncertain terms that she herself wasn't entirely happy about Hermione's disappearance, either.

Hermione sighed, knowing that Minerva was right and that it was indeed time for her to make a reappearance in the British Wizarding World.

"All right, all right. I'll come back, but only for visits for now. I can't just leave now when things are so uncertain with my cousin. They still plan to turn her, you know, once her baby is born, and there will be other challenges there, like making certain she doesn't become a soulless murderer. I know the Cullens will take good care of her, but I have to make certain. She's the only family I have left." Hermione fidgeted for a moment, not meeting either Minerva's or Severus's gazes, but then she looked back at both of them.

"Actually, I was thinking of setting up a more long-term residence here in Forks and getting a job, just until she's stabilized. With her stubbornness and the Cullens' care, I think it will only take a couple of years." Her gaze implored them to understand.

Minerva and Severus exchanged a glance, considering. They both knew that it wasn't Severus's approval she needed to concern herself with. Minerva wanted him back at Hogwarts to teach, but to be honest, she wanted Hermione there as well. As for Severus, well, he had gradually and subconsciously concluded over the last few days that he would follow Hermione wherever she went; she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Minerva knew it, too. If she had to wait a couple of years for Hermione to decide it was safe to leave her cousin in the hands of the Cullens in order to get both her and Severus back at Hogwarts, well, then she knew how to be patient.

Minerva gave Hermione a small smile. "Very well, but you do realize you only have about a week to make your visit before they come looking for you themselves."

Hermione smiled back, amused and very aware of just how impatient her friends could be. "Yes, I know. Tell them not to worry, I'll see them soon, one way or another."

Minerva nodded to her, then hesitated for a moment. Then, catching both Hermione and Severus by surprise, she pulled her young protégé into a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're safe, Hermione," she said, her voice sounding suspiciously husky to Severus.

Before Hermione could say anything or do more than briefly return the hug, still slightly shocked, she pulled away and looked at Severus. "Now that you've brought her back, you take care of her, my boy, or I will come find you and castrate you," she said sternly. The fact that she was wagging a finger at him as she spoke – something she never did – let them both know she was only teasing. Sort of.

"Very well, Minerva, but you shall have to wait in line. Hermione herself has already told me that if she thought I were abusive she would…how did you put it, love? Ah, yes, she would 'pull my testicles out through my arse and then shove them down my throat and make me swallow them' if I laid a hand on her."

Minerva eyed the younger of her two former students with approval. "Good." She glanced at Severus. "Just so you know what to expect."

She turned back to Hermione, and said, "And don't let him get too overbearing with you, Hermione. If he does, just give him a good crack about the head until he comes round. Heaven knows you're about the only woman stubborn enough to put up with him when he gets in one of his moods. You won't let him get too far before you hex him good and proper." And with that last bit of sage advice, she tossed a handful of Floo Powder into the fire, which flared emerald, stepped in, and called, "Hogwarts School, Headmistress's Office!" As she whirled away, they both thought they heard her muttering excitedly something about grandbabies.

As it turned out, Hermione and Severus did in fact see the Weasleys, Harry, and several others much sooner than they expected.

* * *

Annnndddd, there we go. Nice little clue there at the end as to what could possibly happen - or rather, who they could possibly encounter - in the next chapter. Here's one more: keep in mind Minerva's excited muttering about grandbabies. Now I'm going to sit back and wait for your responses and reviews, wishing I could see your faces as I watch you chew on that little tidbit. Love,

RP13


	9. Explanations of One Sort or Another

Oh, wow, another update so soon after the last! Yay! I must say, it's been fun reading everybody's comments after the last chapter and seeing your theories regarding the bombshell I'm fixin' to drop (not in this chapter, but the next one - which I will have up today as well, so sit on your hands and be patient).

Disclaimer: I'm a twenty-three year old girl from Texas, not a mother from either Britain or Arizona. Ergo, none of this stuff is mine, just the cabin.

* * *

_Chapter Nine_

_~Explanations of One Sort or Another~_

The next evening saw Severus and Hermione preparing to Apparate to the Cullen residence. As Severus was dressing – they'd both just recently come out of the shower where they'd enjoyed each other thoroughly before getting down to the business of getting themselves clean – Hermione, fully dressed herself, regarded herself thoughtfully in the mirror.

She'd heard that the changes were visible in a girl who'd recently had sex for the first time, and wanted to know how much of what she and Severus had been up to over the past twenty-four hours the Cullens or the pack would be able to figure out. She hoped the shower had been sufficient to keep the vampires and the wolves from being able to smell it, but she knew it was a flimsy hope at best. It was always difficult to smell oneself, but her heightened sense of smell picked up the changes in her own body easily enough when she concentrated. She really just hoped that at least none of the vampires or the wolves would show that they noticed. She and Severus were both intensely private after all.

She couldn't really see any difference in her face or eyes. Well, perhaps her cheeks were a bit pinker, but then, whose weren't after a bit of rigorous physical activity such as what she and Severus had partaken in? Other than that, though, she couldn't see anything that might give away what the two of them had been up to. Nothing that wasn't covered up by her clothes, that is.

She was quite glad that the weather in Forks called for warmer clothing – the dark red turtleneck she wore to cover up the mark Severus had left on the side of her neck yesterday could be easily explained as being due to the weather. If that particular mark were visible, then the vampires and the wolves would most definitely figure things out.

She was interrupted from her musings by Severus's emergence from the bathroom. "Ready?" he inquired. She nodded, and they walked together out of the cabin and through the wards surrounding it.

Just before they stepped through the last of the wards, however, Severus stopped, his nose twitching. Hermione was about to ask what was wrong when he swung his head in her direction and bent slightly, bringing his nose closer to her person. He inhaled deeply through his nose and frowned, his expression similar to the one he wore when he was trying to identify something.

"What is it?" she asked, but he just shook his head.

"I don't know. Something about you smells…different." He frowned again. "Better…not that you haven't always smelled good, but now, for whatever reason, when I catch your scent, I have this instinct that I should feel proud. I've never felt that way before. It's odd."

Though she agreed with him that it was odd, she gave him a slight smile as something else occurred to her. "Perhaps it's just your heightened senses and what you're smelling is simply a combination of your scent mixed with mine. We _have_ gotten quite a bit…closer…over the past twenty-four hours," she told him.

"Hm. Perhaps, though it's only partly a combination of your scent and mine. There's something else, too. Oh, well. I suppose as I get used to it, the answer will come to me. For now, let's go before we're late."

Once they were outside the wards, they both turned on the spot and vanished, reappearing an instant later on the Cullens' front porch. Hermione was lifting her hand to knock on the front door, knowing it was likely the Cullens had heard the crack of Apparition and knew they were here, when it swung open.

"Hermione, Severus," Carlisle greeted warmly. "Welcome." He was about to move aside to let them in when he spotted something over their shoulders.

"Ah, the pack is here as well," he stated, and the witch and wizard turned to see the horse-sized wolves emerging warily from the trees surrounding the Cullen residence.

"You are all welcome," Carlisle called. "Please, come in," he invited, moving aside to allow Hermione and Severus to enter.

When Hermione saw that the wolves were hesitating, eying the door suspiciously, she sighed, thinking she knew what was on their minds. She waved her wand over the door, and to the astonishment of everyone but Severus, the door visibly widened so that it would easily accommodate something as tall and big around as the wolves.

She turned to look at them. "There, now you don't have to worry about shifting to human form just to get through a door," she announced. Then, more under her breath, despite the fact that she knew very well everyone present could still hear her, she muttered, "Heaven forbid you trust a vampire, even a good one, or a witch enough to shift to a form that makes you more vulnerable just to go through a bloody door." With that, she walked inside, followed by a chuckling Severus.

Carlisle, smiling, still stood by the door. "Please," he called. "Come in. Let's put our differences aside for tonight and simply agree to listen and learn."

The werewolves exchanged glances. Finally, after what Carlisle knew to be communication that went on solely within their minds, the russet wolf he knew to be Jacob stepped forward. It was a strong tactical maneuver, one that Carlisle suspected had been Jacob's idea. Second in command of the pack, Jacob was strong enough to care for himself, but should something happen to him, the pack's Alpha would still be around to lead.

Jacob climbed awkwardly up the porch steps and paused to give the door a look of deep mistrust. _Well, here goes,_ he thought, and he took a deep breath, deciding to take the bull by the horns – or the witch by the wand, he guessed – and strode through.

When nothing happened, Sam called, _Jake? You good?_

_Yep,_ the beta replied._ I don't seem to have been turned into anything. Still got all the right body parts. Four legs, fur, a tail._

"Fleas," a voice drawled. It sounded like Mr. Snape.

_I'll have you know I don't have a single flea on my body. I'm as clean as a lapdog,_ Jake replied loftily.

The pack took his ability to make jokes as a good sign, and one by one they filed through the door, still rather dubious about all being able to fit into the house but no longer worrying about the door having any nasty surprises. Once through, they found, to their shock, that the interior of the house appeared to have been expanded to a couple times its normal size in order to accommodate the entire pack. The living room appeared to be the size of a high school basketball court.

Hermione and Severus sat together on the loveseat, while Bella reclined on the sofa opposite them with her legs across her vampire husband's lap. The rest of the vampires all stood in various places around the room. The blonde female stood at the end of the sofa nearest to where Bella reclined against one of the sofa arms. The blonde male stood a short distance away from the others, near the fireplace, while the dark-haired male stood protectively near, but not right beside, his mate the blonde female. The taller, older dark-haired female stood a couple feet away from the loveseat where Severus and Hermione sat, while the small dark-haired female was the only one not standing in a fixed place. She was dancing in from the kitchen carrying an opaque Styrofoam cup with an opaque lid and straw. She passed this to Bella, who gave her a grateful look, before going over to stand next to her blonde mate.

Despite the fact that the cup was opaque, the wolves could smell its contents, and it caused all of them to raise their hackles, upset.

"It's donated," Hermione said to them, noting their increased tension. "No one died for it. And it's the only thing Bella can keep down, so don't worry about it."

When the wolves didn't relax quite enough to satisfy her, she rolled her eyes. "Her half-vampire child is causing her body to reject other foods. It's happened before. I've got a friend who is a _true_ werewolf, with the full moon and all, and when his wife was pregnant with their half-werewolf son the only thing she could keep down was raw steak."

The wolves looked disturbed at this, but their hackles slowly came down. The wolves slowly arranged themselves about the room, and it didn't escape either Hermione or Severus that they had arranged themselves so that they had easy access to the doors leading outside in case they needed to make a quick escape.

Jake actually ended up between one of the side doors leading outside and the loveseat where Hermione and Severus sat. As he settled himself so that he was sitting comfortably but still able to get up quickly, he caught a whiff of something odd coming from the loveseat. He discreetly took another sniff, and wondered at what he was smelling. Their respective scents were off, hers more so than his. Though it was faint and somewhat masked by the smell of soap, as if they'd showered recently, he could smell them all over each other. Didn't have to be a genius to figure that one out, he thought, suppressing the urge to make a face at the thought of the two of them having sex.

But even more than just the fact that he could smell them on each other, he realized that Hermione's own individual scent had changed a bit. For one thing, the smell that had driven him to attempt to dominate her and mate with her in their canine forms yesterday had changed. It was still there, but it was different now, and no longer brought the same reaction from him. He was indifferent to it, he realized. He guessed that his inner wolf figured that since she had already been mated by another male, there was no sense in going after her anymore. There was still something about her scent that alluded to her body changing gradually over time, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was supposed to mean. Nor could he figure out why he should care, so he decided to stop thinking about it before it gave him a headache.

He couldn't know it, but the vampires had all smelled the same change in Hermione. They, however, had already figured out the significance of the change, but none of them knew how to broach the subject. Thus, they left it alone for the time being.

The wolves all arranged themselves and, as one, turned their attention to the witch and wizard. Hermione and Severus realized that they would have to start, and so they began.

They decided to forego most of the history of the Wizarding World, and Severus began with a brief summary of his troubled youth. He explained his less than stellar parents, his friendship with a girl born to non-magical parents called Lily Evans, the start of their school days together at Hogwarts, the long tradition of Sorting the students into the four houses which caused the very beginning of the rift between the two friends, Severus's frequent conflicts with the group of Gryffindor boys known as the Marauders, particularly his rival James Potter, and his increasing involvement with those who had taken an interest in Dark Magic.

Severus then went on a brief tangent with a short explanation of the rise of Lord Voldemort, a despot reminiscent of Hitler with his ideas that those born to non-magical parents were inferior and ought to be exterminated. He continued with an explanation of his initial decision to follow Voldemort and become one of his Death Eaters, showing them the faded Dark Mark on his forearm as proof. But he ignored the way the wolves bristled at the sight of it in favor of the way Hermione took his hand in hers when he lowered it and began to gently rub her thumb over the marked flesh.

He began to frown as he told them of overhearing part of the Prophecy concerning the Dark Lord and not waiting to hear the entire thing before taking the information off to Voldemort, not realizing he was sealing the fate of Lily Evans-Potter and her family. By this point, he was speaking to the floor, his shoulders hunched and his head bowed in shame at the memory. He went on to explain, his voice quiet and containing traces of the pain and guilt he'd finally begun to let go of over the past few days with Hermione's help, the events that followed, including his defection to the Order of the Phoenix, and the deaths of the Potters.

Seeing the look on his face, Hermione stopped him, silently squeezing his hand to get his attention before briefly and gently touching his face when he looked at her, letting him know that she would take over from this point. She picked up the explanation with Lily's sacrifice as Severus clasped her hand between both of his, linking the fingers of one hand with hers and using the fingertips of the other hand to stroke the skin on the back of hers. It was a gesture she knew was meant to comfort himself more than her, and she gently patted his hand with her free one in understanding.

She spoke about Lily's sacrifice for her son Harry, the rebounding of the Killing Curse the Dark Lord had aimed at the boy, Voldemort's apparent defeat, the celebration of the Wizarding World, and Harry's shipment off to his non-magical maternal aunt and uncle. She told them how the next ten years were a time of peace, and then Harry had gotten a life-changing letter from Hogwarts. The following seven years were told from her point of view as one of Harry's two best friends, present through just about every danger Harry had faced, and as a Muggleborn witch who had been subjected to ancient prejudices and who'd had to prove herself worthy of the wand she held a thousand times over.

She told them of how she and the two boys had met, the encounter with the troll that had first cemented their friendship, and the discovery of the plot to resurrect Voldemort using the Sorcerer's Stone.

She told them of the following year, of the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets and the basilisk that lived within, of the attacks on Muggle-borns, and of the diary that seemed to be imbued with Voldemort's sould and that had possessed Ginny, sucking the life out of her.

She told them of Sirius Black, the escaped convict that turned out to be innocent, having been framed by someone he'd thought was a friend, and turned out to be Harry's godfather.

She told them of the Triwizard Tournament and the return of Voldemort at the end of that year with the help of a Death Eater disguised as a teacher.

She told them of Dolores Umbridge, the connection between Voldemort's mind and Harry's, Dumbledore's Army, the trouble at the Department of Mysteries, Sirius's death, and the Prophecy.

She told them of Harry's forays under the guidance of Professor Dumbledore into memories that provided insight into Voldemort's past and information on Voldemort's efforts to ensure his own immortality using Horcruxes, and of the attacks on various people that turned out to be attempts on the Headmaster's life. But she faltered when she reached the events of the end of that year and looked at Severus, who nodded, squeezing her hand. It seemed to the wolves that he was giving her permission for something. So she continued and told them of how that year ended with the attack on Hogwarts by a group of Death Eaters and the killing of Albus Dumbledore by Severus Snape. That caught the wolves' attention, and half of them started to rise in fury, until Hermione shot to her feet, pulling out her wand and demanding that they listen or she'd reduce them all to a pack of puppies.

When they calmed and settled reluctantly, she sat and continued. She told them of the decision she, Harry, and Ron had made not to return to Hogwarts, of their long, lonely, and dangerous hunt for the Horcruxes, the destruction thereof, and the Final Battle that claimed many lives on both sides, including, or so everyone had thought at the time, Harry Potter and Severus Snape. She told them of Harry's miraculous return to life, Neville's destruction of the snake Horcrux, Harry's defeat of Voldemort, and her saving Severus's life.

Severus soon pulled himself together, and though the majority of the explanation was hers, he still interjected from time to time, either with bits and pieces of the story she couldn't provide or with snide commentaries on some of the adventures she'd gotten herself into as a student. It was clear to everyone present that none of the things he said were new, as they were delivered with a smirk and received with nothing but a roll of her eyes.

When she finished her recounting of the past years, Severus took over once more with a more detailed explanation of the memories he'd given to Potter. As he explained his vow to Dumbledore, to kill him in Draco Malfoy's place when the time came, and the fact that Dumbledore was dying anyway from the injuries he'd sustained trying to destroy the ring Horcrux, the last traces of doubt left the wolves' eyes.

The wolves listened intently, and with varying degrees of individual interest in different things. As Hermione and Severus spoke, the Quileutes forgot some of their unease, many of them sitting or laying down to be more comfortable as they all asked questions, with Edward speaking aloud for everyone's benefit. When the explanations of the important events were over, the wolves asked for more explanations of things regarding the Wizarding World in general.

Sam, the Alpha, seemed to have taken an interest in the changes in Wizarding Law and the triumphs and failings of the British Ministry of Magic. Leah had taken an interest in hearing about Hogwarts and the classes in magic; Quil and Embry, like Emmett had earlier, wanted to hear more about the games and competitions. Jacob was particularly captivated by the colorful descriptions of the people the witch and wizard knew and were close to.

Inevitably, she was asked once more about her scars. For the second time the vampires watched as the emotion fled her face; this was the first time the wolves had seen it, and what they saw was vastly different from what they'd witnessed in the clearing. They were all impressed with her poker face, but her eyes gave the game away. They were dead, and the wolves knew that what they had heard in the clearing had been an abridged version. They were about to get the full tale, and they knew it was probably going to be one of the worst things they'd heard all night.

Hermione drew a breath, once again clenching her left hand into a fist and wrapping her right hand around her wrist, though the cover was unnecessary due to the influence of the long-sleeved turtle-neck she wore. "I was tortured. I told you yesterday, in the woods. It was in the Spring during our hunt for the Horcruxes, sometime after we'd destroyed the locket with the sword of Gryffindor, when we were captured by Death Eaters and taken to the manor of the man I was hunting earlier, Lucius Malfoy, one of the highest ranking Death Eaters alive. He and his sister-in-law, a clinically insane woman who was Voldemort's staunchest supporter, wanted information about our plans, so they decided to send Harry and Ron down to the dungeons and try to torture the information out of me.

"One of their torture devices was a highly illegal curse, the extensive use of which can warrant life in magical prison, called the Cruciatus Curse. It is the pain curse. One word, and you are filled with a pain you can't even imagine. It's a fire consuming your body, and yet, being tossed into a fire would be almost better. Ten seconds under the curse leaves you shaking and breathless for several minutes. Thirty seconds leaves you shaking and weak for hours. Five to ten minutes can cause the victim to experience painful seizures for months afterwards without proper treatment. And fifteen minutes can leave the victim with permanent brain damage that not even magic can fix. Any longer and their mind is lost completely, if the blood vessels in their brains don't burst and kill them. I was under for fifteen minutes and I'm still not sure how I managed to survive without brain damage.

"Their other torture device was a cursed knife that Bellatrix Lestrange was especially proud of – wounds caused by that knife will heal naturally, though more slowly than ordinary wounds, but the scars themselves never go away, nor can they be concealed by magic or by Muggle cosmetics. The word Mudblood means dirty blood, because it is believed that children born to non-magical parents have no magical blood in our veins. So our blood is tainted and we are inferior, fit for nothing more than death or slavery. And to try and get information out of me, Lestrange used her cursed knife on me to carve hateful words into my skin. Mudblood. Whore. Slut. Dirty. And the scars will never go away."

She paused for such a long moment that everyone thought she had finished speaking, but then, to the surprise of even Severus, she continued. "Bellatrix Lestrange was killed by Molly Weasley in the Final Battle for nearly killing Molly's daughter Ginny. Most of the surviving Death Eaters were rounded up and locked away in Wizarding Prison. Lucius Malfoy managed to escape and went on the run. We think he is somewhere in this area, and I won't rest until we find him and he is either dead or imprisoned for life."

Her dead eyes suddenly flared to life, and across the room she met Sam's gaze. He nearly flinched. "You said yesterday that I attacked him as if I had something personal against him, and I said that I do. The truth is, the fact that he watched his sister-in-law torture me in his own living room and tried to kill my friends two years before that doesn't completely explain it. But the fact that he tried to rape me does. As bad as Bellatrix Lestrange's torture was, I'd still take it over what Malfoy would have done to me, what he tried to do to me. Just when I thought I was lost, Harry and Ron came for me." Just as it had when she'd spoken silently to Severus yesterday, a gleam of humor suddenly entered her eyes, and the corners of her mouth quirked up, to the surprise and relief of everyone else. "They caught him literally with his pants round his ankles. I'll never forget the sight of that man hopping around trying to pull up his trousers and dodge hexes at the same time."

The comic relief brought on by that image had been sorely needed. But while everyone else chuckled, Jacob Black was frozen with horror and a crippling sense of guilt. Never mind that he hadn't entirely been in control of his own mind and body at the time, he'd tried to rape a woman who not only belonged to another male but who had experienced the terror of nearly being raped once already. And all because he'd felt lonely, heartbroken, and sexually frustrated. He suppressed an unhappy whine, but did not manage to resist the urge to shrink back.

He was suddenly overwhelmed with the need to get out of there. Ignoring the looks sent to him by his pack and Edward as they all heard his thoughts and read his guilt, he decided to make his escape. But before he could even get to his feet, his attention – and that of everyone else in the room – was suddenly caught by a loud crack, followed instantly by three more and a loud female voice demanding, "Where is she?"

* * *

Ooh, cliffhanger. So, have we guessed what the bombshell is? Now, I've got another chapter update today, so just hold onto your hats and be patient.

RP13


	10. What?

What? Another chapter update in one day? Madness! But yeah, it's true. Of course, this chapter is the last I actually have written so far. So the next chapter might be a little while in coming. But don't worry, I'm gonna finish the story, I promise!

Disclaimer: You know the drill: Not mine, not mine, not mine.

* * *

_Chapter Ten_

_~What?~_

The wolves and vampires all shot to their feet, reacting to the threat, and what followed was pure chaos. Unlike two days before, however, no one was launched through walls or floors; Esme's wonderfully appointed home remained intact. This time, everyone who attempted to attack the newcomers was rendered immobile.

When all the wolves and the vampires who'd moved to attack were immobilized, Hermione was able to see what was going on more clearly. "Ginny?" she asked incredulously. "Harry? Ron? Draco?" she added as she looked and saw who had accompanied the red-head.

"Yeah, and Mum, half my brothers, Lupin, Tonks, Luna, and McGonagall in a moment," Ginny Potter answered. She and three young men still held up their wands; all four of them had cast spells to immobilize the wolves and the vampires.

"No worries, Severus, Granger," Draco said lazily, his own wand still held aloft, "we've immobilized all the vampires and oversized dogs for you."

Hermione and Severus rolled their eyes at the same time; the synchronicity of their actions seemed to surprise Draco, who looked badly disconcerted by the fact that Hermione Granger and Severus Snape had been thinking similarly enough that they'd just had the same reaction.

"Yes, Draco, and believe it or not, I'd appreciate it if you could let them go," Hermione told him drily. "Severus and I rather need them to trust us."

The other witch and the three young wizards all blinked at her in disbelief.

"But, 'Mione -" Ron started, but she huffed in annoyance at him, interrupting him.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that, Ron?" she demanded with a roll of her eyes and no real bite in her tone. "And if you'll take a closer look at their eyes, you'll see that these vampires are a bit different from the ones we normally see. Their golden eyes are an indication that they only drink animal blood, not human blood. As for the wolves, well, they're not quite what they appear to be either. They're actually members of the Quileute tribe, and they are shape-shifters who take on the form of wolves the size of horses. Now if the four of you could let them go?" she pressed.

It was with extreme reluctance that her four friends acquiesced. When they were released, the vampires looked extremely disconcerted; the wolves were all upset, all once more on their feet, hackles up as they growled low.

Hermione turned to them and said, "Please, forgive my friends. The war has changed us all and made all of us rather more jumpy than we used to be." She paused, but seemed to be unable to resist adding reproachfully, "Of course, you didn't have to try to attack them, either. Yes, I realize they just appeared out of the blue with no warning and a lot of noise, but I would have thought the Cullens at least would have recognized the uselessness of attacking witches and wizards."

Everyone in the room bar Severus, Bella, Carlisle, and Esme, none of whom had done anything to attack anyone, looked sheepish at her words and everyone settled back down after exchanging apologies. Severus experienced a bizarre moment of awe at the fact that his own impossibly arrogant godson was one of those his small lover had managed to cow.

Before anyone could say anything else, however, there was another series of cracks; this time, the vampires and wolves managed to suppress the urge to attack, though half the wolves still jumped. This time they all found themselves facing a rather irate middle-aged red-haired woman, accompanied by a tall man in his twenties (perhaps a little older than Sam) with his long red hair in a pony-tail, a set of tall red-haired twins, a man Snape's age with brown hair, a young woman a few years older than Hermione with short spiky hair a shocking shade of lime-green, a girl Ginny's age with long blonde curls and strange pale eyes, and an older, severe looking woman who looked quite the picture of a stereotypical witch with her robes and wide-brimmed, pointed hat.

A second after the red-haired woman had appeared, her eyes lit on the curly-haired witch who suddenly seemed to be shrinking back and looking extremely guilty. "Hermione Jean Granger!" she screeched as she stormed over. "Young lady, we've been worried sick about you! First you run off without telling anyone where you're going and you make me swear not to tell anyone that you're going at all, leaving everyone else to think you're dead, then you hide for eight months _without one single bloody letter,_ and THEN I find out from Minerva McGonagall that you go gallivanting about with Severus Snape _without coming home first_ and get yourself into fights with vampires and oversized wolves and heaven only knows what else! _WHAT _were you thinking?!"

All the wolves and two or three of the vampires, including Emmett, were in awe of this witch who had managed to reduce Hurricane Hermione to little more than a shame-faced, teary-eyed teenage girl.

"I'm sorry, Molly," Hermione said, her voice small and sounding lost. Her lips trembled, her eyes filling. "I just didn't know what else to do. I had to get away. But you're right. I shouldn't have left without telling anyone, and I'm so sorry for scaring everyone into thinking I was dead."

Molly Weasley made an impatient noise and seized Hermione's hands, hauling her up out of the loveseat and into her embrace. "There, there, dear," the older woman said, her voice having lost all trace of anger as she held Hermione tightly and rocked her back and forth. "It doesn't matter why you left, only that you're safe now and back with us. But don't you _ever_ do that again, understand?"

Hermione nodded, her face still buried in Molly Weasley's shoulder. She'd all but forgotten what a motherly embrace felt like, and couldn't believe how long she'd gone without one. Suddenly the pain of missing her own mother appeared in her throat, a lump the size of an egg, and she couldn't stop the tears. She held onto Molly Weasley for a long time and cried tears she hadn't allowed herself to shed since the day she'd erased her parents' memories of her.

But all tears must come to an end, and hers were no exception. When she raised her face from Molly's shoulder, her expression was calm once more, and once she'd wiped her tears away the only traces of her eruption of emotion were a red, blotchy nose and eyelashes that were still spiked with tears.

Once she'd composed herself, she found herself hugging the rest of the newcomers, beginning with Ginny Potter, who hugged her almost as fiercely as her mother had, though without the tirade that preceded Molly's embrace. She was followed by her husband Harry and brother Ron, then by Draco, Bill, Fred, George, Tonks, and Luna, all of whom, in one way or another, made certain she was aware of their relief that she was safe and their displeasure that she'd left them without telling them.

The last to hug her, aside from Professor McGonagall, who'd already gotten her reunion with Hermione the day before and so now stood over by where Severus still sat on the loveseat, was Remus Lupin. "Thank you, Remus," she told him as she embraced him. "Thank you for coming to check on me and for keeping my secret even though it was wrong for me to hide."

Remus was about to say something, but suddenly, he seemed to freeze. She was about to ask what was wrong when she heard the almost imperceptible sound of him inhaling air through his nose. Surely he couldn't smell Severus on her! she thought, panicking.

He pulled out of her embrace, holding her at arm's length as he frowned at her. "You're in heat," he said, sounding surprised.

Well, that threw her for a loop. She gaped at him, unsure whether to go on the defensive and protest or to ask him why he thought that or to tell him that it certainly wasn't his business. But before she could even say anything, he frowned more deeply, taking another discreet sniff, and said, "No, that's not right. No, you're…" Another sniff. "You're…" His eyes widened in horror before his expression darkened with fury.

And suddenly, he'd spun around, shoving her behind him, and his wand was out and pointed directly at Severus Snape, who shot to his feet and faced him, though he didn't reach for his wand.

"What have you been doing to her, Snape?" Remus demanded, his voice low and menacing.

The wolves all shifted, their bodies tensing as their canine instincts told them what their eyes could not. Sam was particularly tense as he responded instinctively to the threat of possibly yet another Alpha wolf to contend with. He'd accepted Snape so far because he knew the dark wizard had no interest in anything other than Hermione. But this wolf-wizard was an unknown entity.

"You're not her father, Lupin," Severus growled back, though he still made no move toward his wand. At the warning in his tone, the Quileutes were reminded again of the demon-wolf, the shadow-male they'd met yesterday, who could cause pain with a look. Wisely, Sam figured it would be best to stay out of this particular confrontation between dominant males. "And I did nothing against her wishes."

Apparently that wasn't the right answer. Lupin, his eyes almost as black as Severus's, raised his wand, about to cast a hex. But before he could get anything out, verbally or otherwise, his wand flew out of his grasp. Likewise, Severus's wand appeared from his pocket, and both wands flew into the grasp of Minerva McGonagall, who had foreseen and been prepared for problems others might have with Severus and Hermione being together.

Enraged, Lupin took a step toward Severus, only to halt as a small form darted past him and stopped between himself and his intended target. "Stop, Remus! He's telling the truth!" Hermione pled.

He nearly lost it then. "So you're telling me you willingly let him take you and get you pregnant?" he roared.

Shocked, everyone froze and stared in the midst of a silence so profound that a pin dropping to the floor would have caused an echo.

"Wh-what?" Hermione squeaked.

Lupin seemed to be fighting to calm down. "You're pregnant, Hermione. I can smell it, and him, all over you."

"H…how do you…how can you tell?" she asked, stumbling over her words as her mouth fought to catch up with her mind.

Surprisingly, it was Molly Weasley who answered. "The process of implantation into the uterine wall by the embryo is much quicker among witches than among Muggle women, for one thing," she said brusquely. She looked as though she were struggling to come to terms with what was going on, and had decided to let the matter of the relationship between Hermione and Snape rest for the moment in favor of answering questions. "Among Muggle women, the process normally takes about six days. For witches, it takes place within one or two."

Molly very carefully kept her eyes on Hermione's face and away from Severus. It was much easier to deal with the idea of simply a pregnant Hermione than the idea of a Hermione pregnant by Severus Snape. She knew that if she looked at Severus at the moment, she would lose her composure.

"For another," Remus said, sounding as if he were trying to keep his emotions in check, "Given that I have already had a child with my wife, I would say I already know what a pregnant witch smells like. It took me longer to realize what was happening with her, but I do recall one day thinking that she smelled differently than she had the day before."

Hermione's and Severus's eyes widened at that. They both recalled Severus's remark just before coming here this evening that her smell had changed. That was what he'd smelled! But because his senses were so newly improved, he'd never smelled the hormonal changes in a recently-impregnated woman before, so he'd had no idea that was what he was smelling then.

Hermione shook her head, helplessly. "But…no, it doesn't…I can't be pregnant!" she wailed, distressed.

"I assure you, you can," Lupin growled blackly.

She shook her head again, her eyes filling once more. "No, you don't understand. I can't _be_ pregnant because I can't _get_ pregnant!" she cried. In her distress, she stepped further back, seeking the comfort of Severus's body. His arms wound about her waist and pulled her back against his chest, and her fingers wrapped around his in a death-grip. "When I first went to St. Mungo's after the Final Battle, the Healers did an assessment of my over-all health and told me that because of the amount of time Bellatrix Lestrange tortured me combined with the stress of being on the run, my ovaries and womb were damaged beyond even magical repair and I'd never even be able to conceive. I never told anyone because it was too painful. It was part of why I felt like I had to get away and went to live in the rainforest."

It was this that finally caused Remus to calm down some. He was still absolutely furious with Snape, but he decided to deal with the bat later. For now, Hermione.

If Remus was shocked and horrified by the pregnancy, then Minerva McGonagall was shocked and horrified by the news that the extent of the damage caused by Bellatrix Lestrange's torture was far greater than Hermione would even admit. Then, when she recalled her own overexcitement at her discovery of the relationship between Hermione and Severus, she mentally cringed. She dearly hoped neither of them had heard her muttering under her breath about her hopes that maybe she'd finally be getting the grandbabies she'd always wanted. That had been rather uncharacteristically tactless of her, though logically she knew there was no way she could have known as Hermione had never told anyone.

At least there was a fair bit that had been explained. If Hermione truly had believed she was unable to bear children, she would have had no reason to use magical contraceptives; witches and wizards were immune to most sexually transmitted diseases, so protection against them would have been pointless as well. Why not allow oneself to be careless if there were no consequences?

"Well, Hermione, it seems as if there has been a mistake. Either the Healer who told you you'd never have children was wrong, or your womb and ovaries did in fact heal while you were in the rainforest. Whatever the case, you most certainly are pregnant, and I am sure that I am not the only person in the room who can smell it." He glanced at some of the Cullens as if to confirm this fact, and several of them, Carlisle, Esme, and Edward included, nodded their heads in agreement.

"Now," Molly said, struggling to keep her voice even. "Would either of you care to explain how the devil this…pregnancy came about?"

Severus couldn't resist. Safe behind the protection of Hermione Granger, a formidable witch in her own right, he raised one eyebrow. "Surely you know how it all works, Molly? Having given birth to seven of your own offspring?" he said with mock incredulity.

Her blazing brown eyes snapped to his and he suppressed the urge to flinch. "So help me, Severus, if you can't give me a straight answer without being a smart-arse…" she growled.

Finally Minerva decided it would be wise to speak up. "That is enough, all of you," the Gryffindor Matriarch said, her voice ringing. She stepped forward, her stern face expressionless. She was in full Headmistress mode; she had been teaching at Hogwarts since before all of them were born, including Molly Weasley, and they would all do well to remember that.

Now if the wolves and vampires had been intimidated by Molly Weasley, they realized beyond a doubt that this oldest of the witches made the red-haired witch look about as dangerous as a clucking mother hen. They could all sense the power of the red-haired witch named Molly, yes, but this older witch radiated an aura that made them slightly uneasy. The wolves realized that what they felt was similar to how they had all felt at one point or another as children in the presence of an intimidating school principal, only magnified. In fact, had they all been paying closer attention to their own reactions, they would have been interested to note that each one of them responded deferentially to her power by laying down, though none of them went so far as to roll over onto their backs and expose their bellies.

The wolves and vampires also watched with surprise and interest how all the rest of the witches and wizards stopped arguing and all turned to look at the stern elderly woman.

"Molly, Remus, it is understandable that you feel protective of Miss Granger and upset by this turn of events. However, as I have taught every single one of you, I know every single one of you well, including Severus, though he was never in my House. Unlike the rest of you, I have seen Severus and Hermione together, and they speak the truth. Their relationship is based on mutual affection, and as Hermione is no longer his student, neither of them is in the wrong. More than that, neither of them would ever do a thing to harm the other. They will fight, as you have fought with Arthur, Molly, and as you have fought with Tonks, Remus. But ultimately, just as your love has withstood the test of time, so will theirs. I expect this to be the last I hear against them."

It seemed Ginny Potter could no longer contain herself. Everyone was distracted by a loud squeal of pure joy as Ginny ran to her friend and threw her arms around her. "You're pregnant, Hermione!" she beamed. "You can have kids after all! Now our babies can grow up together!"

Most of the witches and wizards, with the exception of Molly Weasley, who had helped Ginny make the diagnosis just that morning, and Minerva McGonagall, who was too dignified, gaped at her.

"Gin," Harry choked, his eyes wide with shock and hope. "You're -"

His wife turned to him, now looking a bit sheepish. She released Hermione and went over to him, taking his hand. "I was going to tell you at our place, over dinner, when we were alone. Mum and I found out this morning. But just now I got caught up in the surprise of Hermione's pregnancy and it sort of slipped out."

Harry said nothing else. Instead, he drew her into his arms and held her tightly. He could have told her how incredibly happy she'd just made him, telling him they were going to be parents. He could have told her it was the greatest gift she could have given him, presenting him with something he hadn't had since his own parents had died. He could have proclaimed right there for everyone present how much he loved her. But he said nothing, because they both knew that as marvelous as the news was to them, Hermione's pregnancy took the cake. Hermione's parents had been taken from her, too, albeit by a spell that removed her from their memories so that they no longer knew her rather than by Death. Severus's life with his parents had been worse than Harry's with the Dursleys. They both deserved the happiness of starting their own family perhaps even more so than Harry did. Not to mention the fact that it seemed Hermione had thought she'd never be able to bear children at all.

"Thank you, love," he whispered to his wife so that only she could hear.

Before she could say anything in response, however, they all heard a voice mutter, "Wow. There are way too many pregnant women running around. Forks has no idea what's about to hit it."

They all looked up just in time to see a scowling Rosalie give Emmett a solid whack across the back of his head. "What was that for, babe?" he pouted, rubbing his head where she'd hit him.

"Don't be so insensitive," she ordered.

Hermione, Severus, and Jacob Black all thought that was rather a bit much coming from her, but they all bit their lips and said nothing.

As humorous as the situation was, however, it couldn't hold Hermione's attention for long. After all, she'd just been given a miracle beyond any she'd thought she'd ever see. She returned to Severus and stood before him, gazing up at his face, wanting to gage his reaction to the fact that he was to become a father.

Would he still want to be with her? He had told her last night that he would never let her go, but she didn't know if he wanted children. In fact, if she were to judge simply by what she'd seen from him over her years as one of his students, she'd say he hated children. She didn't know if he'd ever planned to become a father, didn't know if he even wanted to. All she knew was that she was keeping her baby. After having gone so long believing she'd never have children of her own, she'd never been happier to be proven wrong.

He beat her to the punch, however. Meeting her gaze with his, he asked her softly, "So now that you know you can in fact have children, is this what you want? If you wish I will stay at your side and help you raise our son or daughter and help you love it. Or, if you are not ready for a child, I will help you decide what to do. I will do my best, whatever you desire."

She smiled, trying to keep her tears from spilling over. "Severus, you've just given me one of the things I never thought I'd ever have. You've given me a son or daughter when I thought the ability to bear children was lost to me," she told him. Then her smile grew slightly more mischievous. "And I distinctly remember you saying yesterday that I was yours, and you'd never let me go. As far as I'm concerned, it's a bit late to go back on your promise. You're stuck with me now." With that, she wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest just as she lost the battle with her tears and wept.

He wrapped his own arms around her and pressed kisses to her hair. "I did say that, and I still mean it. If you wish to stay with me, then I will never let you go." He tangled a hand in her wild curls and tugged gently, pulling her head back and bending so that he could kiss her, both of them completely oblivious to the catcalls of the younger witches and wizards (and Emmett) and the sniffs of disapproval from Remus Lupin and Molly Weasley.

* * *

Okay, who saw it coming? Pats on the back if you did. If you're confused and thinking, _But wait, you said she couldn't have children! _just remember from Chapter One where she's talking to the chief of the rainforest tribe and he tells her something that distresses her. I haven't said yet what he told her, but I will bring it up sometime later in the story. Maybe the next chapter or two, I make no promises as to when. And who knows, maybe at some point I'll have her pay the rainforest tribe another little visit in order to share the good news.

RP13


	11. Patience, Update Coming Soon

**Note From the Author:**

I hate to do this, but no, sorry, this is not a chapter update. _However,_ I did want to let you all know that I _am_ working on the next chapter of RODVVUB, and hopefully I will have it up next week. For sure I will have it up by the end of August. So sit tight and hang in there. So sorry if my lack of updates since April lost me some readers. My writer's block was more like the Great Wall of China. Anyhoo, in the meantime, you can still check out _The Elements_ or _Witchy, Witchy Wolf. _Thanks a lot for your patience. Love,

RP13


	12. Preparations for an Epic Discussion

_*GASP!* What, what? An update to RODVVUB? Is she shitting us?_

No no, dear readers, no shitting is occurring. This really is a real update. The first one since...what, April, right? Okay, so I know I promised end of August and I'm three days off, but August 31st came up to me and laughed in my face and said "SIKE! Here's what's actually going to happen: You're not going to get a lunch at work and instead you're going to sit down with a total of like fifty families and talk to them about adopting a pet. Then you're going to go out to dinner with your family without even a chance to change out of your nasty shelter clothes, and THEN you're going to get home late and so exhausted your brain just feels like mush, so you're just going to go to bed." And then September 1st and 2nd my dad, my brother, and I worked on assembling the new desk I got from IKEA and I spent the rest of September 2nd organizing my stuff in my new workspace. So the bulk of this chapter wasn't written until today September 3rd.

Whew. Okay, hopefully I've satisfied everyone for the time being, now for a disclaimer. Meet me. Humble biologist who has dreams of working in species conservation but actually cleans up after dogs and cats or speaks to either disgruntled or clueless people about the pets they want to give up to us or adopt from us respectively. That is not in any way, shape, or form a euphemism for "magnificent author who has created legendary worlds and characters and is consequently rolling in at least fame and probably fortune as well." And that's the difference between RP13 and J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer.

Oh, eh, I think I should warn you: This chapter contains sex. Lots of it. In ooey gooey sticky detail. Sensitive readers will please skip down from dinner with pesto chicken pasta to the triple * where they're woken up next morning and will not berate me if you read it anyway and are then offended. I will just say, "See, I told you so."

* * *

_Chapter Eleven_

_~Preparations for an Epic Discussion~_

When Severus and Hermione broke their kiss, Minerva spoke again. "It seems to me there is quite a bit of explaining to be done all around. And while your home is lovely, Mrs. Cullen," she said, nodding to Esme, "there is only so much that extension charms can do. I think it best if we relocate somewhere with a bit more space."

"What do you suggest?" Carlisle asked, frowning in puzzlement.

She thought for a moment, taking in the gathering of what was now nearly thirty people, one of whom was heavily pregnant. Finally she replied, "I think it best if we relocate to Hogwarts. For one thing, the castle has plenty of space. For another, our nurse, Poppy Pomfrey, will be able to take a look at Hermione's cousin – Isabella, correct? – and between her, Hermione, and Severus, who is a Master of Potions, we will be able to think of something to help her through her pregnancy with as little difficulty as possible. Furthermore, I wish to remove both her and Hermione from the Forks area at least until we have decided what to do about Lucius Malfoy. I'm sure Severus and Hermione have explained him?"

Upon receiving a nod of confirmation, she continued. "We can make arrangements to bring you all here by Muggle transport, as magical transport will not be good for Isabella. Our Ministry for Magic now has a small collection of airplanes, automobiles, and helicopters for when some of our higher officials need to meet with Muggle heads of government, and as our Minister has close ties with many of us, it will simply be a matter of asking him to send a plane to pick everyone up. If I send him a message now, he can have a plane here in a day." She fell silent, allowing the vampires and the wolves to discuss things, the wolves through their pack mind-link and the vampires in a manner that was far too quick to be heard by anyone else.

The pack debated long and hard, though not over whether or not they would go, but rather over _who_ would go. The entire pack couldn't go, as some would be needed to stay to protect the tribe. The Alpha had to go, of course, as he would be vital to the discussions pertaining to how the wolves would do their part to protect the tribe and Forks from Malfoy.

Finally it was decided that half the pack would go. Sam would be accompanied by Jake, Paul (who was a good strategist), Embry (who was good at keeping the peace when tensions got high), and Seth (who was good at diffusing tensions when Embry's peacekeeping methods didn't work). Leah had been offered a spot on the team that would go, but to no one's real surprise, she declined. She preferred to stay and keep her mother company, and though she was very careful not to think it, this would also give her the chance to be away from the pain of her failed relationship with Sam.

The wolves ended their debate at approximately the same time as the vampires stopped their own discussion. Sitting back on his haunches, the intelligent eyes of the black Alpha met those of, surprisingly, not Edward, but rather Severus Snape.

The only sign of the dark wizard's surprise was the way he blinked. But it took him no time at all to understand the wolf's message. He straightened, shifting his and Hermione's position so that they stood side by side, both facing the others in the room, but kept one arm around her shoulders as he met Sam's gaze and entered the black wolf's mind. "Sam says that half the pack will go," he announced smoothly. "The rest are needed to remain behind to protect the tribe and the townspeople. He will go, accompanied by Jacob, Paul, Embry, and Seth. The others will remain."

Sam nodded his head to show that Snape had translated truly. He had wanted Snape to translate because he had a feeling the wizard, while capable of reading people's minds at will with or without their consent, he had not developed a habit of doing so. He had the feeling that Snape only used that ability for very particular, very important reasons, whereas Edward, who couldn't turn the ability on and off, was not always particularly inclined to just tune out the thoughts of others, especially when he was curious.

Minerva nodded her understanding. "Very well. And since we are taking half your number away for some days, we will have one or two of our number stay behind to help. Molly, do you suppose any of your boys might consent to stay?" she asked the red-haired matron.

Molly considered. "Charlie probably would. He has an interest in travel, and his schedule with the dragons is more flexible than anyone else's."

Minerva nodded, ignoring the interested looks of the wolves and vampires at the mention of dragons. "Anyone else?" she asked, turning to face the other witches and wizards that had come along.

To everyone's surprise, George volunteered to stay as well, clapping his brother on the shoulder as they both announced that whether one of them stayed behind or not, they'd be closing the shop for two or three days because there was no way _both_ of them would be missing the epic discussion to come.

Once it was decided who all would be travelling – all the vampires would come – Minerva nodded her head and asked Severus and Hermione if they would allow her to use their fireplace to Floo back to her office at Hogwarts where she could then Floo-call Kingsley. Upon their agreement, she stepped aside to wait for them to accompany her to the cabin and bring her through their wards. That prompted Molly to start urging all the witches and wizards who had accompanied her to return home to prepare for the next several days.

The original four youths who had popped up, plus Luna, stayed behind for a few moments after the adults had left in order to bid goodbye to Hermione. They all admonished her gently one last time, but this time the reprimands were tempered by congratulations for both her and Snape on their impending parenthood. Harry and Ron, of course, congratulated their ex-Professor rather stiffly and with much glaring, warning him as subtly as they could – which is to say, not very subtly at all – to treat Hermione well. Hermione rolled her eyes at them, but to her surprise, Severus took their warnings with utmost gravity, giving them a firm nod to show that he did not take them lightly.

Once their goodbyes had been said and the five of them popped away, the wolves decided to take their leave as well. They needed to return to the reservation and make arrangements for their departure in a day's time, which would involve convincing the elders of the necessity of half the pack attending this impromptu conference. They left with a promise from Hermione that an owl would deliver a message to Sam's home in the morning with information on where and when to meet to board the plane, as well as with instructions on how to relieve said owl of said message.

Finally, Severus, Hermione, and Minerva were the only guests left in the Cullens' home, and they turned to their hosts. Before doing anything else, the three of them raised their wands and restored Esme's living room to its original size and state.

Once they were finished, Hermione tucked her wand away before she spoke. "If we're leaving in a day, Severus and I have a lot to prepare for. We need to explain to Charlie that we'll be gone for a few days, and we'll probably tell him that I want to use the library at Hogwarts to search for information that will help Bella. We'll also need to make sure that his house is sufficiently protected."

The Cullens and Bella bade them goodbye. Bella rose unsteadily to her feet but was chased back down to the cushions of the sofa by her cousin, who came over to her and fussed, admonishing her and saying she could just as easily hug her where she was without Bella having to get up.

"Hang in there, all right?" she murmured as she held her cousin as tightly as she could while being mindful of Bella's frailty. "One more day and you'll be on a private jet plane that's powered by professional pilots but that has luxury seats charmed so that you can't feel any of the plane's motion. The atmosphere within the plane is also spelled so that you're not affected by the altitude as you are in regular planes. It will be the easiest plane ride you've ever taken."

"That from a woman who absolutely detests flying in any way, shape, or form," Severus put in helpfully. He paused and then added, "Well, unless she's in the form of a bird." He shook hands with Edward and Carlisle, gave a shallow but respectful bow to Bella and Esme, and inclined his head in acknowledgement of the remaining four vampires. Then he stepped back and offered his arm to Hermione, who took it.

Severus nodded once more to the Cullens, Hermione waved, and Minerva said, "Once I have made arrangements to have the plane come to pick everyone up, I'll stop by and relay the message to you."

Carlisle nodded his understanding and the vampires all bade the witches and wizard goodbye before the three turned on the spot and disappeared with an almost perfectly synchronized series of pops.

Hermione, Severus, and Minerva appeared just outside the wards to the cabin in the woods, and Severus offered his free arm to Minerva so he could bring her through the wards. Hermione went on ahead in order to open the door.

Once the three were inside, Minerva bade Hermione and Severus goodbye herself before stepping into the fireplace. Before she tossed her handful of Floo Powder onto the flames, she looked at them and smirked. "Oh, and do try to get _some_ rest tonight. I realize you two won't be travelling for nearly as long as the Cullens or the Quileutes, but I imagine tomorrow will still be a long day for you. You should at least spend part of the night sleeping, though I'm sure the temptation to do otherwise will prove difficult to resist." And with that, she whirled away in a flare of green flames.

Hermione blushed; Severus noticed and smirked, saying, "She knows us well. I fully intend to spend half the night celebrating your ability to have children and our impending parenthood with you in my bed after dinner." So saying he took her hand and linked his fingers with hers, pulling her to the kitchen.

Dinner was a simple spaghetti with slices of sautéed chicken breast in a basil pesto sauce. The normal accompaniment to such a dish would have been wine, probably something along the lines of a Spanish tempranillo, but Hermione, who greatly enjoyed a good glass or two of wine with dinner, had absolutely no regrets about abstaining for the next nine months or so.

When dinner was finished, Hermione excused herself to the bathroom to prepare for bed, paying special attention to her nightly teeth-cleansing routine. She emerged from the bathroom in her nightie and paused uncertainly in the doorway to Severus's bedroom – as intimate as they'd become over the past twenty-four hours, this was still so new to her.

Severus, who had just finished changing into the navy blue soft cotton pajama bottoms he'd taken to wearing here in Forks, where the nights were often a bit cool, turned to see Hermione standing in the doorway, and his breath caught.

Her steel-gray satin nightie was fairly modest, its lace hem falling somewhere between mid-thigh and her knees and its thick lacy straps sitting comfortably on her shoulders, neither so loose they would constantly fall nor so tight as to bite into her flesh. The neckline was modest as well, revealing only the barest shadowy depression that marked the very beginning of the valley between her breasts. And yet the overall effect of the dark-but-not-quite-black nightie that clung loosely to her curves and contrasted with her medium skin tones along with the hair that tumbled loose and untamed in a waterfall of curls down her shoulders and to the small of her back and the freshness of her recently-washed face caused his body to come to nearly painful attention. He had to force himself to momentarily ignore his body's reaction in favor of inviting her in.

"Come, Hermione. Make yourself comfortable. I will be but a moment."

She stepped hesitantly into the room, and when she would pass him, he stopped her with a hand on her waist. When she turned her head to look at him, he murmured, "You are absolutely beautiful." He pressed a kiss to her temple and then released her before making his way to the bathroom.

When he emerged, she was standing by the edge of the bed, staring down at the forest-green bedcovers. In a flash of insight he knew she must be nervous; he knew that such an intimate relationship was entirely new to her, as was sharing a bed with another person, and though they'd spent much of the day earlier as well as last night getting to know each other's bodies, such a change took time getting used to.

He stepped up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, drawing her back against him. "Come, my dear," he murmured. "There is no reason to be nervous. You will get used to this. We can take things as slow as you like."

She looked up at him with a relieved smile, glad that he'd picked up on her thoughts. She shook her head. "I don't want to take things slow, at least, not tonight. I was just thinking this will take time getting used to." She turned in his arms. "But I'm going to enjoy every minute."

He bent to kiss her. He was momentarily surprised when, before he could request permission to enter her mouth with his tongue, she initiated that contact first as her tongue darted out to stroke his lower lip once, twice. Smirking against her mouth, he opened his and allowed her tongue inside to tangle with his. Soon, however, he became the aggressor, chasing her tongue back into her mouth with his before he completely laid siege to her mouth.

Without breaking the kiss, he let his hands wander down from her shoulders, touching, caressing, squeezing, grasping her flesh through her thin nightie. His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs toying momentarily with her nipples before his hands wandered lower. She clutched his shoulders in a death grip as his large, hot hands filled themselves with her bum and began the most intimate massage she'd ever had, gripping, squeezing, rubbing. At the same time, his lips wandered away from her mouth, across her jaw, and to her neck, where he settled to feast, apparently intent on marking her flesh for all to see.

After a few moments, his hands moved lower yet again. This time, they stole under her nightie and slowly trailed back upwards, bringing the nightie with them. She obligingly lifted her arms as he pulled the nightie off her, and then her arms lowered to encircle his neck as he continued to kiss and suck on hers. His hands grasped the plain black satin bikini briefs she wore and pushed them off her hips before returning to grasp her bottom. Hermione gasped aloud, her eyes flying open wide as his hot, rough hands met the soft skin of her bum and began to play.

She trembled as his fingers danced over her flesh, tracing circles on the surface of the sensitive skin of her bum cheeks and dipping into the cleft between them. While one hand remained and continued to play about her bum, the other wandered around to her front, trailing about the soft, warm flesh of her belly. He rested his entire palm against her lower belly for a moment as if to greet the tiny soul that had just begun to develop within, and the tenderness of the action would have brought tears to her eyes but for what he did next. His hand came lower and gently nudged her thighs further apart before he covered her mound with his entire hand. Her legs nearly buckled, but the grasp of her arms around his neck and of his other hand on her bum kept her standing.

His clever, talented fingers delved into the neatly trimmed curls that were now damp with her arousal and immediately they went to play. His thumb worked mercilessly on her engorged clit, drawing a surprised and aroused whine from her lips, while his middle and ring fingers plundered her tight passage. He chuckled at the sounds she was making, sounds of arousal and frustration and need.

"Relax, love," he encouraged. "Just enjoy this. I know I am." When she shut her eyes, trying to keep control over her responses, he tsked. "No, love, open your eyes. I want you to watch my hand between your legs even as you feel my fingers fucking you from within. That's it," he murmured as her eyes opened, glazing over as she looked down at the dirty, beautiful sight of his large hand moving between her legs.

He brought her very nearly to the edge of her orgasm, but stopped just short of letting her fall over that precipice. She nearly cried in frustration, but before she could make her feelings known, he was drawing his now-soaked hand from between her thighs and bringing it up. And she nearly did fall over the edge when he drew his fingers toward her lips and told her, his voice dark and erotic, "Taste yourself. Clean my hand, and I will reward you with more than what you seek."

She opened her mouth to obey and a bolt of heat shot down her spine and brought another gush of hot liquid between her now-slick thighs as his wet fingers dipped between her lips. She tasted her own essence and immediately set to cleaning his fingers; she knew she shouldn't enjoy the taste of herself so much, but perhaps it was the taste of her own essence mingled with the taste of his skin that made her so wet. In fact, the only thing she could recall tasting better was the taste of his seed as it had splashed onto her tongue and down her throat yesterday after she'd sucked him off.

By the time his fingers were clean, she was so wet her essence was very nearly starting to trickle down her thighs, and he was so hard he nearly thought he could crack glass. He decided enough was enough. In the next second he had relieved himself of his pajama bottoms and his hands came back up to her shoulders. "And now, little one, your reward for cleansing my hand so well," he said to her, smirking as she shivered at the dark sound of his voice.

Hermione tried not to shudder at the sound of his voice, but was only partly successful. His voice was practically hard-wired to her pussy; she thought he could probably make her wet just reading aloud from a Potions journal if he only read it in that voice.

She allowed him to turn her around so that her back was pressed to his front, and his hands came back down from her shoulders to grasp her hips. He held her there for a moment, and she failed to suppress a gasp as the hot, velvet-clad steel of his thick shaft pressed its length between her buttocks as he ground his groin into her bum.

Then one hand left her hip and came between her shoulder blades, and she felt yet another gush of liquid heat race to the apex of her thighs as she realized what he was about to do the moment before he did it.

"Bend over," came the hot whisper in her ear, and she was very nearly panting as she obeyed, lowering her chest and belly to the surface of the bed while her tail remained in the air.

"Gods," he said raggedly as he brought both hands to rest on her bum. "The sight of you bent over before me, that beautiful pussy peeking out at me, waiting for me to take you from behind…absolutely fucking gorgeous, love."

The dirty words his dark, erotic voice spoke to her left her panting. "Please, Severus, I need you. I need you inside me," she begged.

"You beg beautifully, my dear. But there is no rush. I find I am thoroughly enjoying the sight of you like this," he said as he massaged the cheeks of her bum again before pulling them up and away from each other to get a better look at the swollen lower lips pouting at him between her legs. Mesmerized, he knelt behind her, his tongue darting out to take a long, slow lick from one end of her soaked slit to the other. "Delicious," he murmured before settling in to feast, plunging his tongue into her depths and making her keen.

He was more merciful now, fucking her with his tongue, than when he'd fucked her with his fingers. This time, when she reached the point of orgasm, he allowed her to fall. "Come, my dear," he commanded as he pulled his lips away just enough to speak. "Come for me. Come all over my tongue and let me drink you down."

She obeyed with a cry, legs trembling as her entire body tightened and shattered. She was grateful for the support of the bed beneath her torso, holding her up and offering an anchor for her clenched fists as they gripped the comforter with bloodless fingers. Her pulsing pussy offered up its nectar and he drank greedily, so voracious as to nearly bring her back up to another orgasm. But before she could reach that point, he stood. He urged her to climb onto the bed and lay down on her stomach, his hands nudging her legs apart so he could kneel between them. He lowered himself over her, allowing his hips to settle over hers but bracing his arms so that his torso stayed off her. "Truly, my dear, your pleasure is the sweetest thing I have ever tasted. The sight of you bent over before me, one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen, only trumped by the sight of either your tight little pussy or your hot little mouth wrapped around my cock." As he spoke, he rubbed the length of his cock first between her bum cheeks and then along her dripping slit, circling the head around her clit.

Finally, she felt the swollen, mushroom-shaped head of his cock, slick with his pre-come, pressing inexorably against the depression marking her entrance. Her entrance gave way and the head of his cock came into her passage with a little pop. But to her frustration, that was as far as he went. Oh, he circled it within her, even gave tiny, shallow thrusts that were more like undulations within her, and even withdrew completely before entering her once more with just the head of his cock. When she tried to thrust back and impale herself on him, his iron grip on her bum and hips stopped her. She made a noise of pure frustration, and he chuckled, obviously enjoying the power he had over her.

Abruptly she lost her patience. "For God's sake, Severus, just fuck me! Come inside and fuck me!" she shouted.

He laughed, the rich bass of the sound making its way between her legs just as easily as his erotic murmuring had. "I suppose I _had_ forgotten whom I was dealing with. You command as magnificently as you beg, my love. And it will be my pleasure to obey." And with that, he released her hips and arse only to lean forward and completely cover her back. His hands ran the length of her arms until they covered hers. He gently pried her fingers from the coverlet and linked them with his.

"Grip my fingers, love. Anchor yourself to me," he told her. She obeyed, clutching his fingers between hers even as her fists grasped handfuls of the coverlet. The moment she did so, his hips snapped forward and his cock surged into her. She let out a scream of delight that settled into long, almost continuous moans when he began to move, not even giving her time to adjust as his cock plundered the depths of her body. Tears of ecstasy began to make their way out of her eyes as his cock rammed into her cervix on every plunge, and she was honestly glad she was apparently not like most women who found it painful for a man's cock to be pressing into their cervix so much.

"Is this what you wanted, Hermione?" he grunted, as if reading her thoughts. "For me to fill you so much and fuck you so hard your pleasure borders on pain? I will turn you inside out, witch. I will wring every bit of your pleasure from your mouth and throat that I can. I will make you scream until you lose your voice. And I will fill you with so much of my seed that, had you not already conceived my child last night, you would conceive triplets. And shall I tell you something else? I will fuck you once more before we leave for Hogwarts, and I will take my seed off your thighs but I will leave what is inside you to leak out slowly on its own for Lupin and that pack of overgrown puppies to smell so that they will know you are mine, inside and out."

Her fingers tightened, clenching both the coverlet and his fingers, and he felt her arms trembling as his dirty words brought her closer to her peak. "Gods, Severus," she gasped, panting. "Your voice – _ah!_ – makes me so – _ohh – _so wet! _Oh, gods, yes, right there, don't stop!"_

Her moaning was music to his ears, and he could feel himself edging ever closer to the drop. Wanting her to be with him when he took the plunge, he wrapped one arm around her middle and urged her up until they were both on all fours, still joined together, still fucking. He released both her hands, bracing one of his against the bed right beside hers. His free hand left her middle and found her other hand. He coaxed her fingers to release the bed covers and then he brought her hand to the place where they were joined together between her legs. He arranged her hand so that her fingers were splayed on either side of his wide girth and she could feel the place where his cock disappeared inside her as it pounded away between her thighs. Once he was sure her hand would stay there even after he took his away, he brought his hand back to brace on the bed in order to fuck her more solidly.

That was hotter than anything else she could have ever imagined, she thought vaguely. The instant she'd realized his intention, she gushed around his cock. Even the idea of the mess growing between her thighs and now between her fingers, a combination of her essence and his, only served to make her hotter. She astonished herself by thinking that when this was over she'd like to taste their mingled secretions, perhaps cleanse his cock the way she'd cleansed his fingers.

"Who do you belong to, Hermione?" his voice murmured compellingly in her ear.

"Oh, gods, Severus, you!" she gasped.

"Whose pussy is it I'm fucking now?" he grunted.

"Mine. Yours! Yours," she sighed.

"And whose cock is fucking that pussy? Whose cock is the only cock that will ever bring you pleasure like this?" he growled.

"Yours!" she groaned. "Yours, Severus, gods,_ ohhhh,_ yours forever!" And she punctuated that declaration with a loud moan she couldn't hold back, her trembling arm finally collapsing and her torso tumbling to the bed, though she remained arse-up, her pussy still impaled by his cock, and her other hand still between her legs as he fucked her right through that first orgasm, then a second, and toward a third. That was when he decided he could hold on no longer.

He raised his torso until he was kneeling behind her, gripping her hips in his large hands, and he jerked her hips back to him with every forward thrust of his own, now fucking her as hard as he could. The head of his cock was now ramming hard up into her cervix and she was seeing stars as she shot fast toward her third orgasm.

And as she got closer and closer, her moans escalating into loud cries, her pussy tightened around his cock more and more, until he knew that when she finally fell, she'd bring him with her.

He trembled on that point, and some instinct deep within him gave him an idea he wasn't even consciously following. He leaned forward and sank his teeth into her neck at the junction of her neck and shoulder. A rapturous scream she couldn't hold back ripped from her lips as her arm locked at the elbow, shoving her torso up against his, and her fingers spasmed around the base of his cock where it was swallowed by the vise that was her pussy. And they fell over the edge together, two stars causing each other to explode together into a supernova that in a fraction of a second became all that existed in the universe.

As the brilliance of the supernova receded somewhat, Hermione distantly realized that the multiple spurts of his seed against the barrier of her cervix and into her pulsing passage actually prolonged her own orgasm. And true to his earlier words, she could feel his seed starting to leak from around his embedded, still iron-hard flesh, seeping between her fingers.

An exhausted smile lit her features as she allowed him to ride out the last of both their orgasms and continue shallowly bouncing her hips against his as he continued to grind his cock inside her, coaxing out the last of his seed. When he finally stopped spurting within her, the two of them collapsed to the surface of the bed, his finally flaccid cock slipping out of her.

She caught her breath for a few minutes before rolling to her belly once more, wanting to try her idea. She pushed herself back until she was level with his slippery, sticky cock, and took him in the same hand that had been between her thighs, feeling the place where they fucked. And then to his shock, her tongue emerged and trailed from the base of his cock to the head as she cleansed him of their commingled juices. She licked him clean, swallowing what she cleaned off his cock, and continued licking even after he was clean, now alternating her licking with sucking as she miraculously brought him back to hardness. Too tired to protest, he lay back and let her administer to him as mercilessly as he'd done to her earlier. And he was as helpless to fight the orgasm that rushed upon him now as she'd been earlier. He came with a hoarse shout, spurting another load of seed he hadn't realized he had left onto her tongue and to the back of her throat. And much as she had last night, she swallowed everything he gave her with a look of adoration that nearly brought him to tears.

When he came down from his orgasm and she finished swallowing, he brought her up to lie beside him and kissed her tenderly, tasting not only the seed he'd just finished unloading into her lovely, boundlessly talented mouth, but also their combined secretions that she'd cleaned from his cock and that still seeped from between her thighs.

He summoned his wand, intending to clean her with magic, but she put a hand on his wrist to stop him. "Just take it off my thighs," she told him, much as she had last night.

He acquiesced with a chuckle before then deciding to also use a couple of breath-freshening charms on both of them – while the taste of their combined essence was all well and good while fresh, it would be unbearable the morning after. She huffed her amusement, too tired to laugh properly, and thanked him for his foresight before rewarding him with a brief kiss that tasted of cinnamon and mint.

They were woken at what felt like an ungodly hour the next morning by a voice calling out to them from the living room.

"Severus? Hermione? May I come through?"

Severus, his face stuck into the space between Hermione's neck and shoulder, groaned and sighed, his gusting breath stirring her curls.

"What is it?" she mumbled.

"Minerva," he grumbled back, though he made no move to get up. "Come to deliver the news of when the plane will be here to pick up the Cullens and the pack, no doubt."

She sighed. When she realized he had no intention of getting up to speak to their guest, she nudged him off her with difficulty given his extreme reluctance to let her go. "I'll speak to her, Sev, and try to send her on her way as quick as I can."

He sighed again and rolled away a bit so she could get up. Sleepy though he was, he was alert enough to be able to fully appreciate the sight of her naked form rising from his bed and standing before moving toward the door. As she passed the open door of the wardrobe, she reached in and removed the shirt he'd been wearing yesterday from the hook on the inside of the door.

Severus watched with extreme satisfaction as she pulled on his soft dark green cotton shirt, and he reflected that the color looked quite good on her medium-toned skin with her chestnut curls. She buttoned it halfway as she walked from the room. His satisfaction only grew when he saw how hard she was trying to walk normally, though it was obviously difficult for her to not move so gingerly.

Hermione decided not to button the shirt all the way, hoping that the sight of the top two or three buttons undone would signal to Minerva that she had interrupted something very important. Of course, whether Minerva thought she'd interrupted an intimate moment or the sleep they had actually been engaging in, she didn't particularly care.

"Professor," Hermione greeted, dismantling the wards around the fireplace. "Come on through."

She didn't wait for Minerva to follow as she made her way into the kitchen to make some coffee for herself and Severus. "Tea?" she asked Minerva.

"No, thank you, dear. I won't be long. I can see I have interrupted something," the old witch said with a smirk on her face.

"Oh yes, Severus gets quite cranky when his sleep is interrupted," Hermione replied casually as she set about making the coffee.

Minerva blinked and looked more closely at Hermione's unblushing face. "Sleep," she echoed, unconvinced. Then, raising an eyebrow, she met Hermione's gaze shrewdly. "Of course. Sleep, no doubt much needed after vigorous nightly activities?"

Ah, _there_ was the blush. She smiled at the young woman. "So it seems I was right when I left you last night." Then, tilting her head curiously, she asked, "Forgive me for asking such a personal question, but how do you feel?"

Hermione blinked, not having expected the question. She thought back to how gingerly she'd walked out of the bedroom, and muttered, her face red, "Like I've spent far too much time on horseback."

Now _that_ made Minerva raise her eyebrows. "Oh, my. Well, I certainly hope he gives you something for that." Hermione hmmed noncommittally, and Minerva continued.

"At any rate, I spoke to Kingsley last night, and he will send a plane that will arrive at eleven tonight, Forks time. It will arrive at a private hangar at the small airport just outside of Port Angeles, and I asked him to have the plane arrive at night so that the wolves might run and arrive undetected. We will have associates from the Ministry seat in Seattle in place to monitor the situation just in case someone sees anything they should not, as well as to clear the memories of the authorities tracking arriving and departing planes. No one will be any the wiser. And the plane will land at the Ministry's hangar, where Bill Weasley will meet them. I have also arranged with the Minister to have one of their new cars pick up Edward and Bella and fly them to Hogwarts while the vampires and wolves are free to run."

"Car?" Hermione asked, confused.

Minerva blinked, and then remembered that Hermione, having lived for so long in the rainforest, had missed a lot of the developments that had come about after the war. "Well, Arthur Weasley actually sold his idea for a flying car to the Ministry. They had Muggle-born mechanics work in conjunction with Charms Masters perfect the flying cars so that what happened with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley and Arthur's car in your second year won't happen again. These cars can fly anywhere over land, but once they are flying over water, the charms lose potency quickly and things become very dangerous. That is why we are sending a plane to Forks instead."

Hermione was quite impressed, and resolved to ask Severus about more of the events and developments that had occurred in the last eight months.

Once Minerva had relayed all the important details to Hermione, the young woman asked her to repeat them so she could put them in the letter to be delivered to Sam. Once the letter was written, however, she realized she needed to find an owl to deliver it. Finally she decided that once Mierva was gone she'd pop over to the post office of the magical community outside Port Angeles.

The details given, Minerva took her leave, now to report to the Cullens. Hermione returned to the bedroom she'd shared with Severus last night only to find him fast asleep. She penned a brief note to him and left it on her pillow beside him, explaining where she'd gone and that she'd be back soon. She dressed quickly, grabbed her wand, her beaded bag, and the letter to Sam and his pack, and quickly left the wards. Still a bit shaken after the events of what was now two days ago – the encounter with Lucius Malfoy, to be specific – she popped away the second she was outside the wards.

Her business at Port Angeles's magical post office was quickly concluded and she returned to the cabin, popping briefly into existence in the woods before disappearing from sight as she stepped through the wards to go back inside. Though her appearance had only lasted seconds, it was noticed. Some hundred feet off, hidden by the foliage of a large, shady thicket, a pair of pale blue eyes gleamed.

* * *

So, what did you think? Anybody get a little hot under the collar there? Or did you think it was too much? I kind of feel like I was overcompensating for having spent waaayyyy too long away. Too much sex, not enough plot? Or was it okay? I will say, though, that _if_ there's any sex in the next chapter, which there might be and there might not be, it will be far less graphic. And I hope you now have a general feel for what the next chapter will look like. If you don't, I have no hope for you as a detective.

RP13


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